USP22 drives colorectal cancer invasion and metastasis via epithelial-mesenchymal transition by activating AP4

A chromatin-focused CRISPR screen identifies USP22 as a barrier to somatic cell reprogramming

Cell-autonomous barriers to reprogramming somatic cells into induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) remain poorly understood. Using a focused CRISPR-Cas9 screen, we identified Ubiquitin-specific peptidase 22 (USP22) as a key chromatin-based barrier to human iPSC derivation. Suppression of USP22 significantly enhances reprogramming efficiency. Surprisingly, this effect is likely to be independent of USP22's deubiquitinase activity or its association with the SAGA complex, as shown through module-specific knockouts, and genetic rescue experiments. USP22 is not required for iPSC derivation or maintenance. Mechanistically, USP22 loss during reprogramming downregulates fibroblast-specific genes while activating pluripotency-associated genes, including DNMT3L, LIN28A, SOX2, and GDF3. Additionally, USP22 loss enhances reprogramming efficiency under naïve stem cell conditions. These findings reveal an unrecognized role for USP22 in maintaining somatic cell identity and repressing pluripotency genes, highlighting its potential as a target to improve reprogramming efficiency.

E3 ubiquitin ligases and deubiquitinases in colorectal cancer: Emerging molecular insights and therapeutic opportunities

Colorectal cancer (CRC) presents ongoing challenges due to limited treatment effectiveness and a discouraging prognosis, underscoring the need for ground-breaking therapeutic approaches. This review delves into the pivotal role of E3 ubiquitin ligases and deubiquitinases (DUBs), underscoring their role as crucial regulators for tumor suppression and oncogenesis in CRC. We spotlight the diverse impact of E3 ligases and DUBs on CRC's biological processes and their remarkable versatility. We closely examine their specific influence on vital signaling pathways, particularly Wnt/β-catenin and NF-κB. Understanding these regulatory mechanisms is crucial for unravelling the complexities of CRC progression. Importantly, we explore the untapped potential of E3 ligases and DUBs as novel CRC treatment targets, discussing aspects that may guide more effective therapeutic strategies. In conclusion, our concise review illuminates the E3 ubiquitin ligases and deubiquitinases pivotal role in CRC, offering insights to inspire innovative approaches for transforming the treatment landscape in CRC.

Comprehensive analysis of the role of ubiquitin-specific peptidases in colorectal cancer: A systematic review

BACKGROUND

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the third most frequent and the second most fatal cancer. The search for more effective drugs to treat this disease is ongoing. A better understanding of the mechanisms of CRC development and progression may reveal new therapeutic strategies. Ubiquitin-specific peptidases (USPs), the largest group of the deubiquitinase protein family, have long been implicated in various cancers. There have been numerous studies on the role of USPs in CRC; however, a comprehensive view of this role is lacking.

AIM

To provide a systematic review of the studies investigating the roles and functions of USPs in CRC.

METHODS

We systematically queried the MEDLINE (via PubMed), Scopus, and Web of Science databases.

RESULTS

Our study highlights the pivotal role of various USPs in several processes implicated in CRC: Regulation of the cell cycle, apoptosis, cancer stemness, epithelial-mesenchymal transition, metastasis, DNA repair, and drug resistance. The findings of this study suggest that USPs have great potential as drug targets and noninvasive biomarkers in CRC. The dysregulation of USPs in CRC contributes to drug resistance through multiple mechanisms.

CONCLUSION

Targeting specific USPs involved in drug resistance pathways could provide a novel therapeutic strategy for overcoming resistance to current treatment regimens in CRC.

Ubiquitin-specific proteases: Vital regulatory molecules in bone and bone-related diseases

Stabilization of bone structure and function involves multiple cell-to-cell and molecular interactions, in which the regulatory functions of post-translational modifications such as ubiquitination and deubiquitination shouldn't be underestimated. As the largest family of deubiquitinating enzymes, the ubiquitin-specific proteases (USPs) participate in the development of bone homeostasis and bone-related diseases through multiple classical osteogenic and osteolytic signaling pathways, such as BMP/TGF-β pathway, NF-κB/p65 pathway, EGFR-MAPK pathway and Wnt/β-catenin pathway. Meanwhile, USPs may also broadly regulate regulate hormone expression level, cell proliferation and differentiation, and may further influence bone homeostasis from gene fusion and nuclear translocation of transcription factors. The number of patients with bone-related diseases is currently enormous, making exploration of their pathogenesis and targeted therapy a hot topic. Pathological increases in the levels of inflammatory mediators such as IL-1β and TNF-α lead to inflammatory bone diseases such as osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis and periodontitis. While impaired body metabolism greatly increases the probability of osteoporosis. Abnormal physiological activity of bone-associated cells results in a variety of bone tumors. The regulatory role of USPs in bone-related disease has received particular attention from academics in recent studies. In this review, we focuse on the roles and mechanisms of USPs in bone homeostasis and bone-related diseases, with the expectation of informing targeted therapies in the clinic.

Unraveling the function of epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) in colorectal cancer: Metastasis, therapy response, and revisiting molecular pathways

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is a dangerous form of cancer that affects the gastrointestinal tract. It is a major global health concern, and the aggressive behavior of tumor cells makes it difficult to treat, leading to poor survival rates for patients. One major challenge in treating CRC is the metastasis, or spread, of the cancer, which is a major cause of death. In order to improve the prognosis for patients with CRC, it is necessary to focus on ways to inhibit the cancer's ability to invade and spread. Epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) is a process that is linked to the spread of cancer cells, also known as metastasis. The process transforms epithelial cells into mesenchymal ones, increasing their mobility and ability to invade other tissues. This has been shown to be a key mechanism in the progression of colorectal cancer (CRC), a particularly aggressive form of gastrointestinal cancer. The activation of EMT leads to increases in the spread of CRC cells, and during this process, levels of the protein E-cadherin decrease while levels of N-cadherin and vimentin increase. EMT also contributes to the development of resistance to chemotherapy and radiation therapy in CRC. Non-coding RNAs, such as long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) and circular RNAs (circRNAs), play a role in regulating EMT in CRC, often through their ability to "sponge" microRNAs. Anti-cancer agents have been shown to suppress EMT and reduce the progression and spread of CRC cells. These findings suggest that targeting EMT or related mechanisms may be a promising approach for treating CRC patients in the clinic.

Chromatin Dynamics in Digestive System Cancer: Commander and Regulator

Digestive system tumors have a poor prognosis due to complex anatomy, insidious onset, challenges in early diagnosis, and chemoresistance. Epidemiological statistics has verified that digestive system tumors rank first in tumor-related death. Although a great number of studies are devoted to the molecular biological mechanism, early diagnostic markers, and application of new targeted drugs in digestive system tumors, the therapeutic effect is still not satisfactory. Epigenomic alterations including histone modification and chromatin remodeling are present in human cancers and are now known to cooperate with genetic changes to drive the cancer phenotype. Chromatin is the carrier of genetic information and consists of DNA, histones, non-histone proteins, and a small amount of RNA. Chromatin and nucleosomes control the stability of the eukaryotic genome and regulate DNA processes such as transcription, replication, and repair. The dynamic structure of chromatin plays a key role in this regulatory function. Structural fluctuations expose internal DNA and thus provide access to the nuclear machinery. The dynamic changes are affected by various complexes and epigenetic modifications. Variation of chromatin dynamics produces early and superior regulation of the expression of related genes and downstream pathways, thereby controlling tumor development. Intervention at the chromatin level can change the process of cancer earlier and is a feasible option for future tumor diagnosis and treatment. In this review, we introduced chromatin dynamics including chromatin remodeling, histone modifications, and chromatin accessibility, and current research on chromatin regulation in digestive system tumors was also summarized.

Immune Evasion and Drug Resistance Mediated by USP22 in Cancer: Novel Targets and Mechanisms

Regulation of ubiquitination is involved in various processes in cancer occurrence and development, including cell cycle arrest, cell proliferation, apoptosis, invasion, metastasis, and immunity. Ubiquitination plays an important role not only at the transcriptional and post-translational levels but also at the protein level. When ubiquitination is in a pathological state, abnormally activated biological processes will not only induce cancer progression but also induce immune evasion. The main function of deubiquitinases (DUBs) is to remove ubiquitin chains from substrates, changing the biological activity of the substrates. It has great potential to improve the prognosis of cancer by targeting DUB to regulate proteome. Ubiquitin-specific peptidase 22 (USP22) belongs to the ubiquitin-specific protease (USP) family of DUBs and has been reported to be related to various physiological and pathological processes. USP22 is abnormally expressed in various malignant tumors such as prostate cancer, lung cancer, liver cancer, and colorectal cancer, which suggests that USP22 may play an important role in tumors. USP22 may stabilize programmed death ligand 1 (PD-L1) by deubiquitination while also regulating T-cell infiltration into tumors. Regulatory T cells (Tregs) are a unique class of immunosuppressive CD4⁺ T cells that primarily suppress the immune system by expressing the master transcription factor forkhead box protein 3 (FOXP3). USP22 was found to be a positive regulator of stable FOXP3 expression. Treg-specific ablation of USP22 leads to reduced tumor volume in multiple cancer models. This suggests that USP22 may regulate tumor resistance to immunotherapy. In this article, we review and summarize the biological functions of USP22 in multiple signal transduction pathways during tumorigenesis, immune evasion, and drug resistance. Furthermore, we propose a new possibility of combining USP22 with chemotherapeutic, targeted, and immunosuppressive drugs in the treatment of cancer.

Ring finger 220 promotes the stemness and progression of colon cancer cells via Ubiquitin specific peptidase 22-BMI1 axis

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is ranked as the third most common malignancy worldwide. Therefore, it is urgent to screen novel and effective molecular drug targets for colorectal cancer therapeutics. In this study, the specific role and related mechanism underlying Ring finger (RNF) 220 in colon cancer were investigated. Firstly, RT-PCR assay was used to compare differences between expression levels of RNF220 in colorectal tumor and normal tissues. Western blot and RT-PCR assays were applied to examine the protein levels of RNF220 in normal colonic mucosa and colorectal cancer cells. We found that RNF220 was upregulated in colorectal cancer in patients and cell models. RNF220 promoted the proliferation and migration, invasion of colorectal cancer cells through BrdU incorporation, clone formation, transwell and wound healing assays. Spheroid formation and western blot assays illustrated that RNF220 promoted the stemness of colorectal cancer cells. Moreover, we found that RNF220 regulated BMI1 expression through USP22 by western blot. Finally, we discovered that RNF220 facilitated tumor growth in vivo through establishment of subcutaneous xenograft tumor mice model. In conclusion, RNF220 promoted the stemness and progression of colon cancer cells via the USP22-BMI1 axis.

Ubiquitin-specific proteases as therapeutic targets in paediatric primary bone tumours?

In children and young adults, primary malignant bone tumours are mainly composed of osteosarcoma and Ewing's sarcoma. Despite advances in treatments, nearly 40% of patients succumb to these diseases. In particular, the clinical outcome of metastatic osteosarcoma or Ewing's sarcoma remains poor, with less than 30% of patients who develop metastases surviving five years after initial diagnosis. Over the last decade, the cancer research community has shown considerable interest in the processes of protein ubiquitination and deubiquitination. In particular, a growing number of studies show the relevance to target the ubiquitin-specific protease (USP) family in various cancers. This review provides an update on the current knowledge regarding the implication of these USPs in the progression of bone sarcoma: osteosarcoma and Ewing's sarcoma.

Inhibition of TMPRSS4 mediated epithelial-mesenchymal transition is critically involved in antimetastatic effect of melatonin in colorectal cancers

In the current study, the underlying anti-metastatic mechanism of melatonin contained in some edible plants was explored in association with transmembrane protease serine 4 (TMPRSS4) mediated metastasis and epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) signaling in human HCT15 and SW620 colorectal cancer cells. Here, TMPRSS4 was highly expressed in HCT15, but was weakly expressed in SW620 cells. Melatonin exerted weak cytotoxicity, decreased invasion, adhesion, and migration, and attenuated the expression of TMPRSS4, cyclin E, pro-urokinase-type plasminogen activator (pro-uPA), p-signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (p-STAT3), p-focal adhesion kinase (p-FAK), Snail and increased the expression of E-cadherin, p27, pp38 and p-Jun N-terminal kinases (p-JNK) in HCT15 cells. Conversely, overexpression of TMPRSS4 reduced the ability of melatonin to activate E-cadherin and reduce Snail. Furthermore, even in SW620 cells transfected with TMPRSS4-overexpression plasmid, melatonin effectively suppressed invasion and migration along with decreased expression of Snail, cyclin A, cyclin E, pro-uPA and p-FAK and increased expression of E-cadherin and p27. Overall, these findings provide evidence that melatonin suppresses metastasis in colon cancer cells via inhibition of TMPRSS4 mediated EMT.

Ubiquitin-specific peptidase 22 in cancer

Recently, many studies have shown that deubiquitination modification of proteins is of great significance in major physiological processes such as cell proliferation, apoptosis, and differentiation. The ubiquitin-specific peptidase (USP) family is one of the most numerous and structurally diverse of the deubiquitinates known to date. USP22, an important member of the USP family, has been found to be closely associated with tumor cell cycle regulation, stemness maintenance, invasion and metastasis, chemoresistance, and immune regulation. We focus on recent advances regarding USP22's function in cancer and discuss the prospect of USP22 in this review.

USP11 facilitates colorectal cancer proliferation and metastasis by regulating IGF2BP3 stability

The abnormal expression of ubiquitin-specific protease 11 (USP11) is thought to be related to tumor development and progression; however, few studies have reported the biological function and clinical importance of USP11 in colorectal cancer (CRC). Therefore, it is necessary to further explore the role of USP11 in CRC. Immunohistochemical staining was used to explore the association between prognosis and USP11 expression in CRC. Cholecystokinin octapeptide (CCK-8), colony formation, transwell, and animal assays were used to study the abilities of proliferation, migration, and invasion in CRC cells. Co-immunoprecipitation assays, Western blotting, ubiquitination assays, and rescue experiments were performed to elucidate the interaction between USP11 and insulin-like growth factor 2 mRNA binding protein 3 (IGF2BP3). We verified that USP11 was overexpressed in CRC tissues and was associated with the depth of tumor invasion and metastasis. USP11 knockdown or overexpression could weaken or reinforce the abilities of proliferation, migration, and invasion in CRC cells in vivo or in vitro. IGF2BP3 was protected by USP11 from degradation via deubiquitination. The rescue experiments revealed that IGF2BP3 overexpression could effectively reverse the decrease in cell proliferation, migration, and invasion caused by USP11 knockdown. Therefore, USP11 might be involved in CRC tumorigenesis and development through a USP11-IGF2BP3 axis pathway, and USP11 overexpression might be a novel indicator for poor prognosis and a potential therapeutic target in CRC patients.

The POU2F1/miR-4490/USP22 axis regulates cell proliferation and metastasis in gastric cancer

PURPOSE

Growing evidence indicates that aberrant expression of microRNAs contributes to tumor development. However, the biological role of microRNA-4490 (miR-4490) in gastric cancer (GC) remains to be clarified.

METHODS

To explore the function of miR-4490 in GC, we performed colony formation, EdU incorporation, qRT-PCR, Western blotting, in situ hybridization (ISH), immunohistochemistry (IHC), flow cytometry, ChIP and dual-luciferase reporter assays. In addition, the growth, migration and invasion capacities of GC cells were evaluated.

RESULTS

We found that miR-4490 was significantly downregulated in primary GC samples and in GC-derived cell lines compared with normal controls, and that this expression level was negatively correlated with GC malignancy. Exogenous miR-4490 expression not only reduced cell cycle progression and proliferation, but also significantly inhibited GC cell migration, invasion and epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) in vitro. Mechanistically, we found that miR-4490 directly targets USP22, which mediates inhibition of GC cell proliferation and EMT-induced metastasis in vitro and in vivo. Moreover, we found through luciferase and ChIP assays that transcription factor POU2F1 can directly bind to POU2F1 binding sites within the miR-4490 and USP22 promoters and, by doing so, modulate their transcription. Spearman's correlation analysis revealed a positive correlation between USP22 and POU2F1 expression and negative correlations between miR-4490 and USP22 as well as miR-4490 and POU2F1 expression in primary GC tissues.

CONCLUSION

Based on our results we conclude that miR-4490 acts as a tumor suppressor, and that the POU2F1/miR-4490/USP22 axis plays an important role in the regulation of growth, invasion and EMT of GC cells.

Ubiquitin, SUMO, and Nedd8 as Therapeutic Targets in Cancer

Ubiquitin defines a family of approximately 20 peptidic posttranslational modifiers collectively called the Ubiquitin-like (UbLs). They are conjugated to thousands of proteins, modifying their function and fate in many ways. Dysregulation of these modifications has been implicated in a variety of pathologies, in particular cancer. Ubiquitin, SUMO (-1 to -3), and Nedd8 are the best-characterized UbLs. They have been involved in the regulation of the activity and/or the stability of diverse components of various oncogenic or tumor suppressor pathways. Moreover, the dysregulation of enzymes responsible for their conjugation/deconjugation has also been associated with tumorigenesis and cancer resistance to therapies. The UbL system therefore constitutes an attractive target for developing novel anticancer therapeutic strategies. Here, we review the roles and dysregulations of Ubiquitin, SUMO, and Nedd8 pathways in tumorigenesis, as well as recent advances in the identification of small molecules targeting their conjugating machineries for potential application in the fight against cancer.

USP22-dependent HSP90AB1 expression promotes resistance to HSP90 inhibition in mammary and colorectal cancer

As a member of the 11-gene “death-from-cancer” gene expression signature, overexpression of the Ubiquitin-Specific Protease 22 (USP22) was associated with poor prognosis in various human malignancies. To investigate the function of USP22 in cancer development and progression, we sought to detect common USP22-dependent molecular mechanisms in human colorectal and breast cancer cell lines. We performed mRNA-seq to compare gene expression profiles of various colorectal (SW837, SW480, HCT116) and mammary (HCC1954 and MCF10A) cell lines upon siRNA-mediated knockdown of USP22. Intriguingly, while USP22 depletion had highly heterogeneous effects across the cell lines, all cell lines displayed a common reduction in the expression of Heat Shock Protein 90 Alpha Family Class B Member 1 (HSP90AB1). The downregulation of HSP90AB1 was confirmed at the protein level in these cell lines as well as in colorectal and mammary tumors in mice with tissue-specific Usp22 deletions. Mechanistically, we detected a significant reduction of H3K9ac on the HSP90AB1 gene in USP22-deficient cells. Interestingly, USP22-deficient cells displayed a high dependence on HSP90AB1 expression and diminishing HSP90 activity further using the HSP90 inhibitor Ganetespib resulted in increased therapeutic vulnerability in both colorectal and breast cancer cells in vitro. Accordingly, subcutaneously transplanted CRC cells deficient in USP22 expression displayed increased sensitivity towards Ganetespib treatment in vivo. Together, we discovered that HSP90AB1 is USP22-dependent and that cooperative targeting of USP22 and HSP90 may provide an effective approach to the treatment of colorectal and breast cancer.

The role of DUBs in the post-translational control of cell migration

Cell migration is a multifactorial/multistep process that requires the concerted action of growth and transcriptional factors, motor proteins, extracellular matrix remodeling and proteases. In this review, we focus on the role of transcription factors modulating Epithelial-to-Mesenchymal Transition (EMT-TFs), a fundamental process supporting both physiological and pathological cell migration. These EMT-TFs (Snail1/2, Twist1/2 and Zeb1/2) are labile proteins which should be stabilized to initiate EMT and provide full migratory and invasive properties. We present here a family of enzymes, the deubiquitinases (DUBs) which have a crucial role in counteracting polyubiquitination and proteasomal degradation of EMT-TFs after their induction by TGFβ, inflammatory cytokines and hypoxia. We also describe the DUBs promoting the stabilization of Smads, TGFβ receptors and other key proteins involved in transduction pathways controlling EMT.

Clinical, pathological and prognostic implications of USP22, SIRT1 and E-cadherin expression in papillary thyroid cancer (PTC) and adjacent non-neoplastic tissue

Introduction

Ubiquitin-specific peptidase 22 (USP22) is described as a stem cell (CSC) marker which is involved in many biological processes, including cancer development, cellular growth and differentiation. Sirtuin 1 (SIRT1) controls a set of biologic processes that range from metabolic homeostasis to cancer. E-cadherin is a calcium-dependent intercellular adhesion molecule. Clinically, USP22, SIRT1 and E-cadherin have been studied to predict prognosis of a variety of cancers but the detailed roles of their expression in papillary thyroid cancer (PTC) and their relation to cancer invasion, metastases and recurrence are still not fully explained.

Aim of the study

To evaluate the expression of USP22, SIRT1 & E-cadherin in PTC tissues and adjacent non-neoplastic thyroid tissue and to correlate their expression with histopathology, clinical, pathological and prognostic parameters of PTC patients.

Methods

We have assessed USP22, SIRT1 & E-cadherin expression using immunohistochemistry in 40 cases with PTC in both malignant tissue and adjacent non-neoplastic tissue, analyzed the relationships between their levels of expression, clinic-pathological parameters, prognosis and survival of patients.

Results

High protein expression levels of both USP22, SIRT1 in addition to low E-cadherin expression in PTC were associated with larger tumors, extra-thyroidal extension, vascular invasion, lymphatic spread (p < 0.001), existence of distant metastases (p = 0.005 & 0.012 respectively), higher stage of the disease (p = 0.012 & 0.042 respectively) and worse five-years overall survival rates (p < 0.001).

Conclusion

Patients having advanced PTC with unfavorable prognosis had high levels of both USP22, SIRT1 in addition to low E-cadherin expression.

Pirarubicin reduces USP22 expression by inhibiting CREB-1 phosphorylation in HeLa cells

The expression of ubiquitin specific peptidase 22 (USP22) is upregulated in several types of cancer, and has been implicated in tumorigenesis. Pirarubicin (THP), an anthracycline antineoplastic drug, can induce apoptosis of several types of cancer cells. However, the molecular mechanisms underlying the action of THP remain to be elucidated. In the current study, treatment with THP induced HeLa cell apoptosis and decreased USP22 expression in a dose- and time-dependent manner. THP reduced the USP22 promoter-regulated luciferase activity, regardless of the mutation of transcriptional activator MYB or E3 ubiquitin-protein ligase SP1 binding sequences; however, this effect was abrogated by the mutation of cyclic AMP-responsive element-binding protein (CREB) binding sequence in HeLa cells. Furthermore, the inhibition on the USP22 promoter activity by THP was not affected by overexpression of CREB-1 in HeLa cells. Additionally, treatment with THP significantly decreased the phosphorylation of CREB-1 at ser133 in HeLa cells. Quantitative chromatin immunoprecipitation assay revealed that THP significantly inhibited the binding of CREB-1 to the USP22 promoter in HeLa cells. The present study demonstrated that THP decreased USP22 expression and promoted HeLa cell apoptosis partially by inhibiting the phosphorylation of CREB-1. The current results may provide novel insights into the molecular mechanisms underlying the pharmacological effect of THP on cancer cell apoptosis.

Epigenetic Factors and Mitochondrial Biology in Yeast: A New Paradigm for the Study of Cancer Metabolism?

Bidirectional cross-talk between nuclear and mitochondrial DNA is fundamental for cell homeostasis. Epigenetic mechanisms regulate the inter-organelle communication between nucleus and mitochondria. Recent research highlights not only the retrograde activation of nuclear gene transcription in case of mitochondria dysfunction, but also the role of post-translational modifications of mitochondrial proteins in respiratory metabolism. Here we discuss some aspects and novel findings in Saccharomyces cerevisiae. In yeast, KAT-Gcn5 and DUB-Ubp8 have a role in respiration and are localized, as single proteins, into mitochondria. These findings, beside the canonical and widely known nuclear activity of SAGA complex in chromatin regulation, provide novel clues on promising aspects linking evolutionary conserved epigenetic factors to the re-programmed metabolism of cancer cells.

TGFβ-Activated USP27X Deubiquitinase Regulates Cell Migration and Chemoresistance via Stabilization of Snail1

In cancer cells, epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) is controlled by Snail1, a transcriptional factor also required for the activation of cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAF). Snail1 is short-lived in normal epithelial cells as a consequence of its coordinated and continuous ubiquitination by several F-box-specific E3 ligases, but its degradation is prevented in cancer cells and in activated fibroblasts. Here, we performed an siRNA screen and identified USP27X as a deubiquitinase that increases Snail1 stability. Expression of USP27X in breast and pancreatic cancer cell lines and tumors positively correlated with Snail1 expression levels. Accordingly, downregulation of USP27X decreased Snail1 protein in several tumor cell lines. USP27X depletion impaired Snail1-dependent cell migration and invasion and metastasis formation and increased cellular sensitivity to cisplatin. USP27X was upregulated by TGFβ during EMT and was required for TGFβ-induced expression of Snail1 and other mesenchymal markers in epithelial cells and CAF. In agreement with this, depletion of USP27X prevented TGFβ-induced EMT and fibroblast activation. Collectively, these results indicate that USP27X is an essential protein controlling Snail1 expression and function and may serve as a target for inhibition of Snail1-dependent tumoral invasion and chemoresistance. SIGNIFICANCE: These findings show that inhibition of USP27X destabilizes Snail1 to impair EMT and renders tumor cells sensitive to chemotherapy, thus opening new strategies for the inhibition of Snail1 expression and its protumoral actions.Graphical Abstract: http://cancerres.aacrjournals.org/content/canres/79/1/33/F1.large.jpg.

MiR-30-5p suppresses cell chemoresistance and stemness in colorectal cancer through USP22/Wnt/β-catenin signaling axis

Colorectal cancer (CRC) remains both common and fatal, and its successful treatment is greatly limited by the development of stem cell‐like characteristics (stemness) and chemoresistance. MiR‐30‐5p has been shown to function as a tumor suppressor by targeting the Wnt/β‐catenin signaling pathway, but its activity in CRC has never been assessed. We hypothesized that miR‐30‐5p exerts anti‐oncogenic effects in CRC by regulating the USP22/Wnt/β‐catenin signaling axis. In the present study, we demonstrate that tissues from CRC patients and human CRC cell lines show significantly decreased miR‐30‐5p family expression. After identifying the 3’UTR of USP22 as a potential binding site of miR‐30‐5p, we constructed a luciferase reporter containing the potential miR‐30‐5p binding site and measured the effects on USP22 expression. Western blot assays showed that miR‐30‐5p decreased USP22 protein expression in HEK293 and Caco2 CRC cells. To evaluate the effects of miR‐30‐5p on CRC cell stemness, we isolated CD133 + CRC cells (Caco2 and HCT15). We then determined that, while miR‐30‐5p is normally decreased in CD133 + CRC cells, miR‐30‐5p overexpression significantly reduces expression of stem cell markers CD133 and Sox2, sphere formation, and cell proliferation. Similarly, we found that miR‐30‐5p expression is normally reduced in 5‐fluorouracil (5‐FU) resistant CRC cells, whereas miR‐30‐5p overexpression in 5‐FU resistant cells reduces sphere formation and cell viability. Inhibition of miR‐30‐5p reversed the process. Finally, we determined that miR‐30‐5p attenuates the expression of Wnt/β‐catenin signaling target genes (Axin2 and MYC), Wnt luciferase activity, and β‐catenin protein levels in CRC stem cells.

Control of CCND1 ubiquitylation by the catalytic SAGA subunit USP22 is essential for cell cycle progression through G1 in cancer cells

Overexpression of the deubiquitylase ubiquitin-specific peptidase 22 (USP22) is a marker of aggressive cancer phenotypes like metastasis, therapy resistance, and poor survival. Functionally, this overexpression of USP22 actively contributes to tumorigenesis, as USP22 depletion blocks cancer cell cycle progression in vitro, and inhibits tumor progression in animal models of lung, breast, bladder, ovarian, and liver cancer, among others. Current models suggest that USP22 mediates these biological effects via its role in epigenetic regulation as a subunit of the Spt-Ada-Gcn5-acetyltransferase (SAGA) transcriptional cofactor complex. Challenging the dogma, we report here a nontranscriptional role for USP22 via a direct effect on the core cell cycle machinery: that is, the deubiquitylation of the G1 cyclin D1 (CCND1). Deubiquitylation by USP22 protects CCND1 from proteasome-mediated degradation and occurs separately from the canonical phosphorylation/ubiquitylation mechanism previously shown to regulate CCND1 stability. We demonstrate that control of CCND1 is a key mechanism by which USP22 mediates its known role in cell cycle progression. Finally, USP22 and CCND1 levels correlate in patient lung and colorectal cancer samples and our preclinical studies indicate that targeting USP22 in combination with CDK inhibitors may offer an approach for treating cancer patients whose tumors exhibit elevated CCND1.

The lncKLF6/KLF6 feedback loop regulates the growth of non-small cell lung cancer

Non-small lung cancer (NSCLC) is one of the most common causes of cancer-associated death worldwide. Long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) regulate cancer initiation and progression through different mechanisms. In the present study, we characterized a novel lncRNA named lncKLF6, which was upregulated in NSCLC and associated with poor clinical outcomes. lncKLF6 inhibited Kruppel-like factor 6 (KLF6) transcription and then facilitated NSCLC growth. lncKLF6 is associated with the epigenetic repressor BMI1 and regulates its stability via recruiting deubiquitinase USP22. Moreover, it was revealed that lncKLF6 was a KLF6-responsive lncRNA, as KLF6 could occupy the lncKLF6 promoter to facilitate its transcription. The negative feedback loop of lncKLF6 and KLF6 continuously enhanced the oncogenic effects. Thus, our study elucidates the mechanism of lncKLF6-mediated growth via suppression of KLF6, which provides the promising target for developing new therapeutic strategy in NSCLC.

MicroRNA-302c represses epithelial-mesenchymal transition and metastasis by targeting transcription factor AP-4 in colorectal cancer

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) contribute to tumorigenesis and progression via acting as tumor suppressors or oncogenes in human cancer. Aberrant expression of miR-302c has been reported in various types of cancer except colorectal cancer (CRC). Thus, our study was aimed to verify the expression of miR-302c and its functional role in CRC. We found a significant reduced expression of miR-302c in CRC tissues compared to tumor-adjacent tissues. Low miR-302c level was remarkably correlated with deeper tumor invasion, lymph node metastasis and advanced TNM stage. Importantly, low miR-302c expression was identified as an independent indicator for poor prognosis of CRC patients. Overexpression of miR-302c repressed migration and invasion capacities of SW620 and SW480 cells in vitro. Mechanistically, miR-302c inversely regulated transcription factor AP4 (TFAP4) abundance in both SW620 and SW480 cells, and it negatively correlated with TFAP4 mRNA expression in CRC samples. Herein, TFAP4, a regulator of epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT), was recognized as a direct target gene of miR-302c in CRC. Otherwise, miR-302c overexpression increased E-cadherin expression and reduced the levels of Vimentin and SNAI1, suggesting an inhibitory effect of miR-302c on EMT of CRC cells. Notably, our findings established that the EMT and metastasis of Caco-2 cells were enhanced by miR-302c knockdown, and subsequently reversed by TFAP4 silencing. Collectively, these data indicate that miR-302c represses EMT and CRC metastasis possibly by targeting TFAP4, and it may serve as a potential prognostic factor and therapeutic target for CRC.

High expression of USP22 predicts poor prognosis and advanced clinicopathological features in solid tumors: a meta-analysis

Introduction

The expression of USP22 has been demonstrated to play a pivotal role in solid tumors. However, the prognostic value of USP22 still remains unknown.

Materials and methods

A systematic meta-analysis was performed to assess the prognostic value of USP22 in cancers. A literature collection was conducted from inception to June 8, 2017 by searching PubMed, Cochrane Library, Embase, Ovid and Web of Science databases. The pooled hazard ratio (HR) and odds ratio (OR) were used to correlate high expression of USP22 with overall survival (OS) and clinicopathological features.

Results

The results, pooled by 19 studies with 2,876 cases, indicated that high expression of USP22 predicted poor OS (HR=2.48, 95% CI: 2.11–2.84, p<0.001) and disease-free survival (DFS; HR=2.55, 95% CI: 2.05–3.05, p<0.001) of cancer patients. Furthermore, high expression of USP22 was also significantly associated with advanced clinicopathological parameters, including tumor stage, tumor differentiation, metastasis, nodal status and tumor size.

Conclusion

Our finding revealed that USP22 might be an indicator of poor prognosis and advanced clinicopathological features of solid tumors and could be served as a novel biomarker.

lncRNA HULC promotes the growth of hepatocellular carcinoma cells via stabilizing COX-2 protein

Highly upregulated in liver cancer (HULC), a lncRNA overexpressed in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), has been demonstrated to be involved in the carcinogenesis and progression of HCC. However, the mechanisms of HULC promoting the abnormal growth of HCC cells are still not well elucidated. In the present study, we for the first time demonstrated that HULC promoted the growth of HCC cells through elevating COX-2 protein. Moreover, the study of the corresponding mechanism by which HULC upregulated COX-2 showed that HULC enhanced the level of ubiquitin-specific peptidase 22 (USP22), which decreased ubiquitin-mediated degradation of COX-2 protein by removing the conjugated polyubiquitin chains from COX-2 and finally stabilized COX2 protein. In addition, knockdown of USP22 or COX-2 attenuated HULC-mediated abnormal growth of HCC cells. In conclusion, our results demonstrated that "USP22/COX-2" axis played an important role in HULC promoting growth of HCC cells. The identification of this novel pathway may pave a road for developing new potential anti-HCC strategies.