Phosphorylation and Reorganization of Keratin Networks: Implications for Carcinogenesis and Epithelial Mesenchymal Transition

Y-Box Binding Protein 1: Unraveling the Multifaceted Role in Cancer Development and Therapeutic Potential

Y-box binding protein 1 (YBX1), a member of the Cold Shock Domain protein family, is overexpressed in various human cancers and is recognized as an oncogenic gene associated with poor prognosis. YBX1's functional diversity arises from its capacity to interact with a broad range of DNA and RNA molecules, implicating its involvement in diverse cellular processes. Independent investigations have unveiled specific facets of YBX1's contribution to cancer development. This comprehensive review elucidates YBX1's multifaceted role in cancer across cancer hallmarks, both in cancer cell itself and the tumor microenvironment. Based on this, we proposed YBX1 as a potential target for cancer treatment. Notably, ongoing clinical trials addressing YBX1 as a target in breast cancer and lung cancer have showcased its promise for cancer therapy. The ramp up in in vitro research on targeting YBX1 compounds also underscores its growing appeal. Moreover, the emerging role of YBX1 as a neural input is also proposed where the high level of YBX1 was strongly associated with nerve cancer and neurodegenerative diseases. This review also summarized the up-to-date advanced research on the involvement of YBX1 in pancreatic cancer.

Biosensors for the detection of lung cancer biomarkers: A review on biomarkers, transducing techniques and recent graphene-based implementations

Lung cancer remains the leading cause of cancer-related death. In addition to chest X-rays and computerised tomography, the detection of cancer biomarkers serves as an emerging diagnostic tool for lung cancer. This review explores biomarkers including the rat sarcoma gene, the tumour protein 53 gene, the epidermal growth factor receptor, the neuron-specific enolase, the cytokeratin-19 fragment 21-1 and carcinoembryonic antigen as potential indicators of lung cancer. Biosensors, which utilise various transduction techniques, present a promising solution for the detection of lung cancer biomarkers. Therefore, this review also explores the working principles and recent implementations of transducers in the detection of lung cancer biomarkers. The transducing techniques explored include optical techniques, electrochemical techniques and mass-based techniques for detecting biomarkers and cancer-related volatile organic compounds. Graphene has outstanding properties in terms of charge transfer, surface area, thermal conductivity and optical characteristics, on top of allowing easy incorporation of other nanomaterials. Exploiting the collective merits of both graphene and biosensor is an emerging trend, as evidenced by the growing number of studies on graphene-based biosensors for the detection of lung cancer biomarkers. This work provides a comprehensive review of these studies, including information on modification schemes, nanomaterials, amplification strategies, real sample applications, and sensor performance. The paper concludes with a discussion of the challenges and future outlook of lung cancer biosensors, including scalable graphene synthesis, multi-biomarker detection, portability, miniaturisation, financial support, and commercialisation.

Azithromycin, a potent autophagy inhibitor for cancer therapy, perturbs cytoskeletal protein dynamics

BACKGROUND

Autophagy plays an important role in tumour cell growth and survival and also promotes resistance to chemotherapy. Hence, autophagy has been targeted for cancer therapy. We previously reported that macrolide antibiotics including azithromycin (AZM) inhibit autophagy in various types of cancer cells in vitro. However, the underlying molecular mechanism for autophagy inhibition remains unclear. Here, we aimed to identify the molecular target of AZM for inhibiting autophagy.

METHODS

We identified the AZM-binding proteins using AZM-conjugated magnetic nanobeads for high-throughput affinity purification. Autophagy inhibitory mechanism of AZM was analysed by confocal microscopic and transmission electron microscopic observation. The anti-tumour effect with autophagy inhibition by oral AZM administration was assessed in the xenografted mice model.

RESULTS

We elucidated that keratin-18 (KRT18) and α/β-tubulin specifically bind to AZM. Treatment of the cells with AZM disrupts intracellular KRT18 dynamics, and KRT18 knockdown resulted in autophagy inhibition. Additionally, AZM treatment suppresses intracellular lysosomal trafficking along the microtubules for blocking autophagic flux. Oral AZM administration suppressed tumour growth while inhibiting autophagy in tumour tissue.

CONCLUSIONS

As drug-repurposing, our results indicate that AZM is a potent autophagy inhibitor for cancer treatment, which acts by directly interacting with cytoskeletal proteins and perturbing their dynamics.

Comparative Analysis of Transcriptomic Changes including mRNA and microRNA Expression Induced by the Xenoestrogens Zearalenone and Bisphenol A in Human Ovarian Cells

Xenoestrogens are natural or synthetic compounds that mimic the effect of endogenous estrogens and might cause cancer. We aimed to compare the global transcriptomic response to zearalenone (ZEA; mycotoxin) and bisphenol A (BPA; plastic additive) with the effect of physiological estradiol (E2) in the PEO1 human ovarian cell line by mRNA and microRNA sequencing. Estrogen exposure induced remarkable transcriptomic changes: 308, 288 and 63 genes were upregulated (log₂FC > 1); 292, 260 and 45 genes were downregulated (log₂FC < -1) in response to E2 (10 nM), ZEA (10 nM) and BPA (100 nM), respectively. Furthermore, the expression of 13, 11 and 10 miRNAs changed significantly (log₂FC > 1, or log₂FC < -1) after exposure to E2, ZEA and BPA, respectively. Functional enrichment analysis of the significantly differentially expressed genes and miRNAs revealed several pathways related to the regulation of cell proliferation and migration. The effect of E2 and ZEA was highly comparable: 407 genes were coregulated by these molecules. We could identify 83 genes that were regulated by all three treatments that might have a significant role in the estrogen response of ovarian cells. Furthermore, the downregulation of several miRNAs (miR-501-5p, let-7a-2-3p, miR-26a-2-3p, miR-197-5p and miR-582-3p) was confirmed by qPCR, which might support the proliferative effect of estrogens in ovarian cells.

Effects of Physiological and Pathological Urea Concentrations on Human Microvascular Endothelial Cells

Urea is the uremic toxin accumulating with the highest concentration in the plasma of chronic kidney disease (CKD) patients, not being completely cleared by dialysis. Urea accumulation is reported to exert direct and indirect side effects on the gastrointestinal tract, kidneys, adipocytes, and cardiovascular system (CVS), although its pathogenicity is still questioned since studies evaluating its side effects lack homogeneity. Here, we investigated the effects of physiological and pathological urea concentrations on a human endothelial cell line from the microcirculation (Human Microvascular Endothelial Cells-1, HMEC-1). Urea (5 g/L) caused a reduction in the proliferation rate after 72 h of exposure and appeared to be a potential endothelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EndMT) stimulus. Moreover, urea induced actin filament rearrangement, a significant increase in matrix metalloproteinases 2 (MMP-2) expression in the medium, and a significant up- or down-regulation of other EndMT biomarkers (keratin, fibrillin-2, and collagen IV), as highlighted by differential proteomic analysis. Among proteins whose expression was found to be significantly dysregulated following exposure of HMEC-1 to urea, dimethylarginine dimethylaminohydrolase (DDAH) and vasorin turned out to be down-regulated. Both proteins have been directly linked to cardiovascular diseases (CVD) by in vitro and in vivo studies. Future experiments will be needed to deepen their role and investigate the signaling pathways in which they are involved to clarify the possible link between CKD and CVD.

Integrated proteomics and phosphoproteomics revealed druggable kinases in neoadjuvant chemotherapy resistant tongue cancer

Tongue squamous cell carcinoma is an aggressive oral cancer with a high incidence of metastasis and poor prognosis. Most of the oral cavity cancer patients present in clinics with locally advanced unresectable tumors. Neoadjuvant treatment is beneficial for these individuals as it reduces the tumor size aiding complete resection. However, patients develop therapy resistance to the drug regimen. In this study, we explored the differential expression of proteins and altered phosphorylation in the neoadjuvant chemotherapy resistant tongue cancer patients. We integrated the proteomic and phosphoproteomic profiles of resistant (n = 4) and sensitive cohorts (n = 4) and demonstrated the differential expression and phosphorylation of proteins in the primary tissue of the respective subject groups. We observed differential and extensive phosphorylation of keratins such as KRT10 and KRT1 between the two cohorts. Furthermore, our study revealed a kinase signature associated with neoadjuvant chemotherapy resistance. Kinases such as MAPK1, AKT1, and MAPK3 are predicted to regulate the resistance in non-responders. Pathway analysis showed enrichment of Rho GTPase signaling and hyperphosphosphorylation of proteins involved in cell motility, invasion, and drug resistance. Targeting the kinases could help with the clinical management of neoadjuvant chemotherapy-resistant tongue cancer.

Molecular and clinicopathological differences between depressed and protruded T2 colorectal cancer

Background

Colorectal cancer (CRC) can be classified into four consensus molecular subtypes (CMS) according to genomic aberrations and gene expression profiles. CMS is expected to be useful in predicting prognosis and selecting chemotherapy regimens. However, there are still no reports on the relationship between the morphology and CMS.

Methods

This retrospective study included 55 subjects with T2 CRC undergoing surgical resection, of whom 30 had the depressed type and 25 the protruded type. In the classification of the CMS, we first defined cases with deficient mismatch repair as CMS1. And then, CMS2/3 and CMS4 were classified using an online classifier developed by Trinh et al. The staining intensity of CDX2, HTR2B, FRMD6, ZEB1, and KER and the percentage contents of CDX2, FRMD6, and KER are input into the classifier to obtain automatic output classifying the specimen as CMS2/3 or CMS4.

Results

According to the results yielded by the online classifier, of the 30 depressed-type cases, 15 (50%) were classified as CMS2/3 and 15 (50%) as CMS4. Of the 25 protruded-type cases, 3 (12%) were classified as CMS1 and 22 (88%) as CMS2/3. All of the T2 CRCs classified as CMS4 were depressed CRCs. More malignant pathological findings such as lymphatic invasion were associated with the depressed rather than protruded T2 CRC cases.

Conclusions

Depressed-type T2 CRC had a significant association with CMS4, showing more malignant pathological findings such as lymphatic invasion than the protruded-type, which could explain the reported association between CMS4 CRC and poor prognosis.

Unraveling the structures, functions and mechanisms of epithelial membrane protein family in human cancers

Peripheral myelin protein 22 (PMP22) and epithelial membrane proteins (EMP-1, -2, and -3) belong to a small hydrophobic membrane protein subfamily, with four transmembrane structures. PMP22 and EMPs are widely expressed in various tissues and play important roles in cell growth, differentiation, programmed cell death, and metastasis. PMP22 presents its highest expression in the peripheral nerve and participates in normal physiological and pathological processes of the peripheral nervous system. The progress of molecular genetics has shown that the genetic changes of the PMP22 gene, including duplication, deletion, and point mutation, are behind various hereditary peripheral neuropathies. EMPs have different expression patterns in diverse tissues and are closely related to the risk of malignant tumor progression. In this review, we focus on the four members in this protein family which are related to disease pathogenesis and discuss gene mutations and post-translational modification of them. Further research into the interactions between structural alterations and function of PMP22 and EMPs will help understand their normal physiological function and role in diseases and might contribute to developing novel therapeutic tools.

Tescalcin over-expression increases Keratin 18 and 19 in K562 cells

Tescalcin (TESC) has been shown to be essential in mammalian cells as a regulator of intracellular Ca2+. Ca2+ is a second messenger functioning in many metabolic pathways as well as in cell differentiation, cell size and the cell cycle. K562 cells over-expressing TESC change their morphology and adopt adherent properties. Considering differences in morphology may have been reflected in changes of the cytoskeleton, we focused on the expression levels of keratins, which are cytoskeletal intermediate filaments in epithelial cells and also expressed in K562. We over-expressed the TESC gene via lentiviral transduction and analyzed keratin 8 (K8), keratin 18 (K18), and keratin 19 (K19) expression.

Anti-Tumor Effect of IDF-11774, an Inhibitor of Hypoxia-Inducible Factor-1, on Melanoma

Melanoma is one of the most aggressive skin cancers. Hypoxia contributes to the aggressiveness of melanoma by promoting cancer growth and metastasis. Upregulation of cyclin D1 can promote uncontrolled cell proliferation in melanoma, whereas stimulation of cytotoxic T cell activity can inhibit it. Epithelial mesenchymal transition (EMT) plays a critical role in melanoma metastasis. Hypoxia-inducible factor-1α (HIF-1α) is a main transcriptional mediator that regulates many genes related to hypoxia. CoCl₂ is one of the most commonly used hypoxia-mimetic chemicals in cell culture. In this study, inhibitory effects of IDF-11774, an inhibitor of HIF-1α, on melanoma growth and metastasis were examined using cultured B16F10 mouse melanoma cells and nude mice transplanted with B16F10 melanoma cells in the presence or absence of CoCl₂-induced hypoxia. IDF-11774 reduced HIF-1α upregulation and cell survival, but increased cytotoxicity of cultured melanoma cells under CoCl₂-induced hypoxia. IDF-11774 also reduced tumor size and local invasion of B16F10 melanoma in nude mice along with HIF-1α downregulation. Expression levels of cyclin D1 in melanoma were increased by CoCl₂ but decreased by IDF-11774. Apoptosis of melanoma cells and infiltration of cytotoxic T cells were increased in melanoma after treatment with IDF-11774. EMT was stimulated by CoCl₂, but restored by IDF-11774. Overall, IDF-11774 inhibited the growth and metastasis of B16F10 melanoma via HIF-1α downregulation. The growth of B16F10 melanoma was inhibited by cyclin D1 downregulation and cytotoxic T cell stimulation. Metastasis of B16F10 melanoma was inhibited by EMT suppression.

Transcriptomic Analysis of Breast Cancer Patients Sensitive and Resistant to Chemotherapy: Looking for Overall Survival and Drug Resistance Biomarkers

Worldwide breast cancer ranks first in mortality and incidence rates in women over 20 years old. Rather than one disease, breast cancer is a heterogeneous group of diseases that express distinct molecular profiles. Neoadjuvant chemotherapy is an important therapeutic strategy for breast cancer patients independently of their molecular subtype, with the drawback of resistance development. In addition, chemotherapy has adverse effects that combined with resistance could contribute to lower overall survival. Although great efforts have been made to find diagnostic and prognostic biomarkers for breast cancer and for response to targeted and immune therapy for this pathology, little has been explored regarding biomarkers of response to anthracyclines and taxanes based neoadjuvant chemotherapy. This work aimed to evaluate the molecular profile of patients who received neoadjuvant chemotherapy to identify differentially expressed genes (DEGs) that could be used as biomarkers of chemotherapy response and overall survival. Breast cancer patients who were candidates for neoadjuvant chemotherapy were enrolled in this study. After treatment and according to their pathological response, they were assigned as sensitive or resistant. To evaluate DEGs, Gene Ontology, Kyoto Encyclopedia Gene and Genome (KEGG), and protein–protein interactions, RNA-seq information from all patients was obtained by next-generation sequencing. A total of 1985 DEGs were found, and KEGG analysis indicated a great number of DEGs in metabolic pathways, pathways in cancer, cytokine–cytokine receptor interactions, and neuroactive ligand-receptor interactions. A selection of 73 DEGs was used further for an analysis of overall survival using the METABRIC study and the ductal carcinoma dataset of The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) database. Nine DEGs correlated with overall survival, of which the subexpression of C1QTNF3, CTF1, OLFML3, PLA2R1, PODN, KRT15, HLA-A, and the overexpression of TUBB and TCP1 were found in resistant patients and related to patients with lower overall survival.

The keratin 17/YAP/IL6 axis contributes to E-cadherin loss and aggressiveness of diffuse gastric cancer

DGC is a particular aggressive malignancy with poor prognosis. Recent omics studies characterized DGC with CDH1/E-cadherin loss and EMT-signatures. However, the underlying mechanisms for maintaining the aggressive behavior and molecular features of DGC remain unclear. Here, we find that intermediate filaments KRT17 is significantly lower in DGC tissues than that in intestinal gastric cancer tissues and associated with poor prognosis of DGC. We demonstrate that downregulation of KRT17 induces E-cadherin loss, EMT changes, and metastasis behaviors of GC cells. Mechanistically, the loss of intermediate filaments KRT17 induces reorganization of cytoskeleton, further activates YAP signaling, and increases IL6 expression, which contributes to the enhanced metastasis ability of GC cells. Together, these results indicate that KRT17/YAP/IL6 axis contributes to maintaining E-cadherin loss, EMT feature, and metastasis of DGC, providing a new insight into the role of aberrant intermediate filaments in DGC malignancy.

Porcine pancreatic ductal epithelial cells transformed with KRASG12D and SV40T are tumorigenic

We describe our initial studies in the development of an orthotopic, genetically defined, large animal model of pancreatic cancer. Primary pancreatic epithelial cells were isolated from pancreatic duct of domestic pigs. A transformed cell line was generated from these primary cells with oncogenic KRAS and SV40T. The transformed cell lines outperformed the primary and SV40T immortalized cells in terms of proliferation, population doubling time, soft agar growth, transwell migration and invasion. The transformed cell line grew tumors when injected subcutaneously in nude mice, forming glandular structures and staining for epithelial markers. Future work will include implantation studies of these tumorigenic porcine pancreatic cell lines into the pancreas of allogeneic and autologous pigs. The resultant large animal model of pancreatic cancer could be utilized for preclinical research on diagnostic, interventional, and therapeutic technologies.

Generation of a tissue-specific transgenic model for K8 phosphomutants: A tool to investigate the role of K8 phosphorylation during skin carcinogenesis in vivo

Keratin 8/18, the predominant keratin pair of simple epithelia, is known to be aberrantly expressed in several squamous cell carcinomas (SCCs), where its expression is often correlated with increased invasion, neoplastic progression, and poor prognosis. The majority of keratin 8/18 structural and regulatory functions are governed by posttranslational modifications, particularly phosphorylation. Apart from filament reorganization, cellular processes including cell cycle, cell growth, cellular stress, and apoptosis are known to be orchestrated by K8 phosphorylation at specific residues in the head and tail domains. Even though deregulation of K8 phosphorylation at two significant sites (Serine⁷³ /Serine⁴³¹ ) has been implicated in neoplastic progression of SCCs by various in vitro studies, including ours, it is reported to be highly context-dependent. Therefore, to delineate the precise role of Kereatin 8 phosphorylation in cancer initiation and progression, we have developed the tissue-specific transgenic mouse model expressing Keratin 8 wild type and phosphodead mutants under Keratin 14 promoter. Subjecting these mice to 7,12-dimethylbenz(a)anthracene/12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate-mediated skin carcinogenesis revealed that Keratin 8 phosphorylation may lead to an early onset of tumors compared to Keratin 8 wild-type expressing mice. Conclusively, the transgenic mouse model developed in the present study ascertained a positive impact of Keratin 8 phosphorylation on the neoplastic transformation of skin-squamous cells.

M-keratin nano-materials create a mineralized micro-circumstance to promote proliferation and differentiation of DPSCs

As traditional root canal obturation leads to the loss of the biological activity of the tooth, it is necessary to develop a material that promotes the regeneration of dental tissue. However, this remains a challenging task. Our study aims to construct a mineralized material to support the proliferation and differentiation of dental pulp stem cells (DPSCs), and to explore a new strategy for the treatment of pulp tissue necrosis. Mineralized keratin (M-keratin), defined as keratin that has been mineralized in simulated body fluid, was first harvested to construct the root canal filling material. Characterizations indicated that new substances or components were formed on the surface of keratin particles after mineralization, and the morphology of the keratin was changed. M-keratin promoted the growth, proliferation, and differentiation of DPSCs. After cultivation with M-keratin, DPSCs exhibited more extracellular matrix proteins interacting with the culture interface, the number of these cells increased significantly, and the 3-[4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl-]-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide values of cells in the experimental group also increased. Meanwhile, signs that the DPSCs began to differentiate into odontoblasts were observed or detected by alizarin red S staining, ELISA, RNA-Seq, and western blot. We hope that this study will contribute to the development of a new material that promotes the regeneration of dental tissue as well as providing new ideas and strategies for the treatment of dental pulp disease.

Ethacrynic acid, a loop diuretic, suppresses epithelial-mesenchymal transition of A549 lung cancer cells via blocking of NDP-induced WNT signaling

Lung cancer is one of the leading causes of death in cancer patients. Epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) plays an important role in lung cancer progression. Therefore, for lung cancer treatment, it is crucial to find substances that inhibit EMT. Ethacrynic acid (ECA) is a diuretic that inhibits cellular ion flux and exerts anticancer effects. However, the effects of ECA on EMT in lung cancer remain unclear. We examined the effects of ECA on sphingosylphosphorylcholine (SPC) or TGF-β1-induced EMT process in A549 and H1299 cells via reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction and Western blotting. We found that ECA inhibited SPC-induced EMT and SPC-induced WNT signalling in EMT. We observed that SPC induces the expression of NDP [Norrie disease protein] and WNT-2, whereas ECA suppressed their expression. SPC-induced WNT activation, EMT, migration, and invasion were suppressed by NDP small-interfering RNA (siNDP), but NDP overexpression (pNDP) enhanced these events in A549 and H1299 cells. Accordingly, NDP expression may influence lung cancer prognosis. In summary, our results revealed that ECA inhibited SPC or TGF-β1-induced EMT in A549 and H1299 lung cancer cells by downregulating NDP expression and inhibiting WNT activation. Therefore, ECA might be a new drug candidate for lung cancer treatment.

Acute effects of cell stretch on keratin filaments in A549 lung cells

Keratin filaments (KFs) comprise the intermediate filaments of epithelial cells and are well known for their cytoprotective properties and their mechanical resilience. Although, several studies have demonstrated KFs' remarkable tensile properties relatively little is known about acute implications of mechanical stretch on KFs in living cells. This includes structural effects on the KFs and their higher level assembly structures as well as posttranslational response mechanisms to possibly modify KF's properties. We subjected simple epithelial A549 lung cells to 30% unidirectional stretch and already after 10 seconds we observed morphological changes of the KF-network as well as structural effects on their desmosomal anchor sites-both apparently caused by the tensile strain. Interestingly, the effect on the desmosomes was attenuated after 30 seconds of cell stretch with a concomitant increase in phosphorylation of keratin8-S432, keratin18-S53, and keratin18-S34 without an apparent increase in keratin solubility. When mimicking the phosphorylation of keratin18-S34 the stretch-induced effect on the desmosomes could be diminished and probing the cell surface with atomic force microscopy showed a lowered elastic modulus. We conclude that the stretch-induced KF phosphorylation affects KF's tensile properties, probably to lower the mechanical load on strained desmosomal cell-cell contacts, and hence, preserve epithelial integrity.

PGRMC1 phosphorylation affects cell shape, motility, glycolysis, mitochondrial form and function, and tumor growth

BACKGROUND

Progesterone Receptor Membrane Component 1 (PGRMC1) is expressed in many cancer cells, where it is associated with detrimental patient outcomes. It contains phosphorylated tyrosines which evolutionarily preceded deuterostome gastrulation and tissue differentiation mechanisms.

RESULTS

We demonstrate that manipulating PGRMC1 phosphorylation status in MIA PaCa-2 (MP) cells imposes broad pleiotropic effects. Relative to parental cells over-expressing hemagglutinin-tagged wild-type (WT) PGRMC1-HA, cells expressing a PGRMC1-HA-S57A/S181A double mutant (DM) exhibited reduced levels of proteins involved in energy metabolism and mitochondrial function, and altered glucose metabolism suggesting modulation of the Warburg effect. This was associated with increased PI3K/AKT activity, altered cell shape, actin cytoskeleton, motility, and mitochondrial properties. An S57A/Y180F/S181A triple mutant (TM) indicated the involvement of Y180 in PI3K/AKT activation. Mutation of Y180F strongly attenuated subcutaneous xenograft tumor growth in NOD-SCID gamma mice. Elsewhere we demonstrate altered metabolism, mutation incidence, and epigenetic status in these cells.

CONCLUSIONS

Altogether, these results indicate that mutational manipulation of PGRMC1 phosphorylation status exerts broad pleiotropic effects relevant to cancer and other cell biology.

Role of Sphingosylphosphorylcholine in Tumor and Tumor Microenvironment

Sphingosylphosphorylcholine (SPC) is a unique type of lysosphingolipid found in some diseases, and has been studied in cardiovascular, neurological, and inflammatory phenomena. In particular, SPC’s studies on cancer have been conducted mainly in terms of effects on cancer cells, and relatively little consideration has been given to aspects of tumor microenvironment. This review summarizes the effects of SPC on cancer and tumor microenvironment, and presents the results and prospects of modulators that regulate the various actions of SPC.

YDJC Induces Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition via Escaping from Interaction with CDC16 through Ubiquitination of PP2A

Lung cancer is the number 1 cause of cancer-related casualties in the world. Appropriate diagnostic markers and novel targets for lung cancer are needed. Chitooligosaccharide deacetylase homolog (YDJC) catalyzes the deacetylation of acetylated carbohydrates; however, the role of YDJC in lung cancer progression has yet to be studied. A549 lung cancer orthotopic mouse model was used for mice experiments. We found that YDJC overexpression contributes to lung cancer progression in an orthotopic mouse model. Long-term treatment (48 h) induces YDJC expression in sphingosylphosphorylcholine (SPC)-induced epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT). Gene silencing of YDJC (siYDJC) reduced N-cadherin expression and increased E-cadherin expression in SPC-induced EMT. Overexpression of YDJC reverses them but overexpression of the deacetylase deficient mutant YDJC_D13A could not. Interestingly, overexpression of CDC16, a YDJC binding partner, suppressed EMT. ERK2 is activated in siCDC16-induced EMT. YDJC overexpression reduces expression of protein phosphatase 2A (PP2A), whereas CDC16 overexpression induces PP2A expression. YDJC overexpression induced ubiquitination of PP2A but YDJC_D13A could not. CDC16 overexpression increased the ubiquitination of YDJC. These results suggest that YDJC contributes to the progression of lung cancer via enhancing EMT by inducing the ubiquitination of PP2A. Therefore, YDJC might be a new target for antitumor therapy against lung cancer.

Keratin 14 is a novel interaction partner of keratinocyte differentiation regulator: receptor-interacting protein kinase 4

The epidermis, the outer layer of the skin, is formed by stratified keratinocyte layers. The self-renewal of the epidermis is provided by sustained proliferation and differentiation of the keratinocyte stem cells localized to the basal layer of the epidermis. Receptor-interacting protein kinase 4 (RIPK4) is an important regulator of keratinocyte differentiation, mutations of which are associated with congenital ectodermal malformations. In an attempt to identify the molecular basis of RIPK4’s function, we applied yeast two-hybrid screen (Y2H) and found basal layer-specific keratin filament component keratin 14 (KRT14) as a novel RIPK4-interacting partner. During keratinocyte differentiation, layer-specific keratin composition is tightly regulated. Likewise, the basal layer specific KRT14/keratin 5 (KRT5) heterodimers are replaced by keratin 1 (KRT1)/keratin 10 (KRT10) in suprabasal layers. The regulation of keratin turnover is under the control of signaling associated with posttranslational modifications in which phosphorylation plays a major role. In this study, we verified the KRT14-RIPK4 interaction, which was identified with Y2H, in mammalian cells and showed that the interaction was direct by using proteins expressed in bacteria. According to our results, the N-terminal kinase domain of RIPK4 is responsible for KRT14-RIPK4 interaction; however, the RIPK4 kinase activity is dispensable for the interaction. In accordance with their interaction, RIPK4 and KRT14 colocalize within the cells, particularly at keratin filaments associated with perinuclear ring-like structures. Moreover, RIPK4 did not show any effect on KRT14/KRT5 heterodimer formation. Our results suggest that RIPK4 may regulate the keratin turnover required for keratinocyte differentiation through interacting with KRT14.

Multifaceted role of keratins in epithelial cell differentiation and transformation

Keratins, the epithelial-predominant members of the intermediate filament superfamily, are expressed in a pairwise, tissuespecific and differentiation-dependent manner. There are 28 type I and 26 type II keratins, which share a common structure comprising a central coiled coil α-helical rod domain flanked by two nonhelical head and tail domains. These domains harbor sites for major posttranslational modifications like phosphorylation and glycosylation, which govern keratin function and dynamics. Apart from providing structural support, keratins regulate various signaling machinery involved in cell growth, motility, apoptosis etc. However, tissue-specific functions of keratins in relation to cell proliferation and differentiation are still emerging. Altered keratin expression pattern during and after malignant transformation is reported to modulate different signaling pathways involved in tumor progression in a context-dependent fashion. The current review focuses on the literature related to the role of keratins in the regulation of cell proliferation, differentiation and transformation in different types of epithelia.

Insulin receptor plays a central role in skin carcinogenesis by regulating cytoskeleton assembly

Diabetes mellitus prevalence is increasing rapidly and is a major cause of mortality and morbidity worldwide. In addition to the known severe complications associated with the disease, in recent years diabetes has been recognized as a major risk factor for cancer. Patients with diabetes experience significantly higher incidence of and higher mortality rates from many types of cancer. However, to date there are no conclusive data on the pathophysiology underlying the association between these two diseases. We previously reported that insulin regulates skin proliferation and differentiation, while IGF1 had different sometimes contrasting effects to those of insulin, suggesting direct involvement of insulin in transformation. To this end, we developed an epidermal skin-specific insulin receptor knockout (SIRKO) mouse, in which the insulin receptor (IR) is inactivated only in skin, with no other metabolic consequences. We found that IR inactivation by itself resulted in a marked decrease in skin tumorigenesis. In the control group 100% of the mice developed tumors, but in the SIRKO group tumor incidence was over 60% lower, and 25% of the SIRKO mice did not develop tumors at all, and the tumors that did develop were smaller and benign in their appearance. Furthermore, IR inactivation in vitro not only prevented cell transformation but also reversed the keratinocyte-transformed phenotype. We found that IR inactivation led to a striking abnormality in the major keratin cytoskeleton filaments structure in both in vivo and in vitro, a change that we were able to link to the decreased transformation potential in IR-null cells. In summary, we identified a unique pathway in which IR regulates cytoskeletal assembly, thus affecting skin transformation, opening a new potential target for cancer treatment and prevention.-Weingarten, G., Ben Yaakov, A., Dror, E., Russ, J., Magin, T. M., Kahn, C. R., Wertheimer, E. Insulin receptor plays a central role in skin carcinogenesis by regulating cytoskeleton assembly.

YdjC chitooligosaccharide deacetylase homolog induces keratin reorganization in lung cancer cells: involvement of interaction between YDJC and CDC16

Lung cancer is a fatal disease with a high mortality rate. The perinuclear reorganization of keratin 8 (K8) is an important biochemical phenomenon reflecting changes in the physical properties of metastatic cancer. However, there is not much of information about the regulatory molecules involved in phosphorylation and perinuclear reorganization of K8.

In this study, we investigated the role and molecular mechanisms of YdjC chitooligosaccha- ride deacetylase homolog (YDJC) in sphingosylphosphorylcholine (SPC)-induced phosphorylation and reorganization of K8, and migration and invasion (SPC-induced events). SPC induced expression of YDJC in a dose- and time-dependent manner. Gene silencing of YDJC suppressed SPC-induced events. YDJC overexpression induced the SPC-induced events. YDJC deacetylase dominant negative mutant (YDJCD13A) did not induce SPC-induced events. YDJC siRNA reduced ERK activation and overexpression of YDJC induced ERK activation. The siRNA of ERK1 or ERK2 suppressed YDJC-induced phosphorylation and reorganization of K8, and migration and invasion. Co-immunoprecipitation revealed that YDJC binds to CDC16. Interestingly, CDC16 siRNA induced SPC-induced events. Overexpression of CDC16 blocked SPC-induced events. KMPLOT analysis based on public microarray data revealed the poor prognosis of lung cancer patients with high expression of YDJC compared with patients with low expression of YDJC.

The collective results indicate that YDJC is involved in SPC-induced events in A549 lung cancer cells by interacting with CDC16. YDJC overexpression might be involved in the progression of lung cancer. These results also suggest that suppression of YDJC or boosting of CDC16 interaction with YDJC might be a novel way to prevent progression of lung cancer.

Sphingosylphosphorylcholine Induces Thrombospondin-1 Secretion in MCF10A Cells via ERK2

Sphingosylphosphorylcholine (SPC) is one of the bioactive phospholipids that has many cellular functions such as cell migration, adhesion, proliferation, angiogenesis, and Ca²⁺ signaling. Recent studies have reported that SPC induces invasion of breast cancer cells via matrix metalloproteinase-3 (MMP-3) secretion leading to WNT activation. Thrombospondin-1 (TSP-1) is a matricellular and calcium-binding protein that binds to a wide variety of integrin and non-integrin cell surface receptors. It regulates cell proliferation, migration, and apoptosis in inflammation, angiogenesis and neoplasia. TSP-1 promotes aggressive phenotype via epithelial mesenchymal transition (EMT). The relationship between SPC and TSP-1 is unclear. We found SPC induced EMT leading to mesenchymal morphology, decrease of E-cadherin expression and increases of N-cadherin and vimentin. SPC induced secretion of thrombospondin-1 (TSP-1) during SPC-induced EMT of various breast cancer cells. Gene silencing of TSP-1 suppressed SPC-induced EMT as well as migration and invasion of MCF10A cells. An extracellular signal-regulated kinase inhibitor, PD98059, significantly suppressed the secretion of TSP-1, expressions of N-cadherin and vimentin, and decrease of E-cadherin in MCF10A cells. ERK2 siRNA suppressed TSP-1 secretion and EMT. From online PROGgene V2, relapse free survival is low in patients having high TSP-1 expressed breast cancer. Taken together, we found that SPC induced EMT and TSP-1 secretion via ERK2 signaling pathway. These results suggests that SPC-induced TSP-1 might be a new target for suppression of metastasis of breast cancer cells.

Novel involvement of RhebL1 in sphingosylphosphorylcholine-induced keratin phosphorylation and reorganization: Binding to and activation of AKT1

Sphingosylphosphorylcholine induces keratin phosphorylation and reorganization, and increases viscoelasticity of metastatic cancer cells such as PANC-1 cells. However, the mechanism involved in sphingosylphosphorylcholine-induced keratin phosphorylation and reorganization is largely unknown. Sphingosylphosphorylcholine dose- and time-dependently induces the expression of RhebL1. The involvement of RhebL1 in sphingosylphosphorylcholine-induced events including keratin 8 (K8) phosphorylation, reorganization, migration and invasion was examined. Gene silencing of RhebL1 suppressed the sphingosylphosphorylcholine-induced events and overexpression of RhebL1 enhanced those events even without sphingosylphosphorylcholine treatment. We examined whether the G protein function of RhebL1 induces K8 phosphorylation using constitutively active RhebL1Q64L and dominant negative RhebL1D60K. G protein activity of RhebL1 is involved in sphingosylphosphorylcholine-induced K8 phosphorylation. We found that RhebL1 binds and activates AKT1. G protein activity of RhebL1 is involved in the binding and activation of AKT1. MK2206 (AKT inhibitor) and gene silencing of AKT1 inhibited the sphingosylphosphorylcholine-induced events, whereas overexpression of activated-AKT1 induced K8 phosphorylation, reorganization, migration and invasion even without sphingosylphosphorylcholine treatment.

The collective results indicate that RhebL1 is involved in sphingosylphosphorylcholine-induced events in A549 lung cancer cells via binding to AKT1 leading to activation of it. These results suggest that suppression of RhebL1 or inhibition of RhebL1′s binding to AKT1 might be a novel way that prevents changes in the physical properties of metastatic cancer cells.

Quantitative phosphoproteomic analysis reveals system-wide signaling pathways regulated by site-specific phosphorylation of Keratin-8 in skin squamous cell carcinoma derived cell line

Keratin 8/18, a simple epithelia specific keratin pair, is often aberrantly expressed in squamous cell carcinomas (SCC) where its expression is correlated with increased invasion and poor prognosis. Majority of Keratin 8 (K8) functions are governed by its phosphorylation at Serine⁷³ (head-domain) and Serine⁴³¹ (tail-domain) residues. Although, deregulation of K8 phosphorylation is associated with progression of different carcinomas, its role in skin-SCC and the underlying mechanism is obscure. In this direction, we performed tandem mass tag-based quantitative phosphoproteomics by expressing K8 wild type, phosphodead, and phosphomimetic mutants in K8-deficient A431 cells. Further analysis of our phosphoproteomics data showed a significant proportion of total phosphoproteome associated with migratory, proliferative, and invasive potential of these cells to be differentially phosphorylated. Differential phosphorylation of CDK1^T14,Y15 , EIF4EBP1^T46,T50 , EIF4B^S422 , AKT1S1^T246,S247 , CTTN1^{T401,S405,Y421} , and CAP1^S307/309 in K8-S73A/D mutant and CTTN1^{T401,S405,Y421} , BUB1B^S1043 , and CARHSP1^S30,S32 in K8-S431A/D mutants as well as some anonymous phosphosites including MYC^S176 , ZYX^S344 , and PNN^S692 could be potential candidates associated with K8 phosphorylation mediated tumorigenicity. Biochemical validation followed by phenotypic analysis further confirmed our quantitative phosphoproteomics data. In conclusion, our study provides the first global picture of K8 site-specific phosphorylation function in neoplastic progression of A431 cells and suggests various potential starting points for further mechanistic studies.

Leukotriene B4 induces EMT and vimentin expression in PANC-1 pancreatic cancer cells: Involvement of BLT2 via ERK2 activation

Leukotriene B₄ (LTB₄) is a leukocyte chemoattractant and plays a major role controlling inflammatory responses including pancreatitis. LTB₄ is known to be correlated with cancer progression. LTB₄ induces keratin phosphorylation and reorganization by activating extracellular regulated kinase (ERK) in PANC-1 pancreatic cancer cell lines. However, the role of LTB₄ in epithelial mesenchymal transition (EMT) and vimentin expression in pancreatic cancer cells is unknown. We examined whether LTB₄ induces EMT and vimentin expression by Western blot, si-RNA, and RT-PCR. LTB₄ induced morphological change, decreased E-cadherin expression and increased N-cadherin and vimentin expression. LTB4 increased migration and invasion of PANC-1 cancer cells. LTB₄ dose-dependently upregulated expression of vimentin in PANC-1 cancer cells. LTB₄-induced vimentin expression was suppressed by LY255283 (BLT2 antagonist). Comp A, a BLT2 agonist, further increased vimentin expression. Gene silencing of BLT2 suppressed LTB₄-or Comp A-induced vimentin expression in PANC-1 cells. The MEK inhibitor, PD98059 suppressed Comp A-induced vimentin expression. Comp A or transfection of plasmid containing BLT2 cDNA (pC_BLT2) activated ERK, and BLT2 gene silencing suppressed Comp A-induced ERK activation. ERK2 siRNA abrogated Comp A-induced vimentin expression and ERK2 overexpression enhanced vimentin expression. One of well-known cause of ras mutation, cigarette smoke extracts increased BLT2 expression in PANC-1 cancer cells. Taken together, these results suggest that BLT2 is involved in LTB₄-induced vimentin expression through ERK2 in PANC-1 cells.

Effects of cerulein on keratin 8 phosphorylation and perinuclear reorganization in pancreatic cancer cells: Involvement of downregulation of protein phosphatase 2A and alpha4

Toxicants can perturb cellular homeostasis by modifying phosphorylation-based signaling. In the present study, we examined the effects of cerulein, an inducer of acute pancreatitis, on keratin 8 (K8) phosphorylation. We found that cerulein dose-dependently induced K8 phosphorylation and perinuclear reorganization in PANC-1 cells, thus leading to migration and invasion. The extracellular signal-regulated kinases (ERK) inhibitor U0126 suppressed cerulein-induced phosphorylation of serine 431 and reorganization of K8. Cerulein reduced the expressions of protein phosphatase 2A (PP2A) via ubiqutination and alpha4. PP2A's involvement in K8 phosphorylation of PANC-1 cells was also confirmed by the observation that PP2A gene silencing resulted in K8 phosphorylation and migration of PANC-1 cells. Overall, these results suggest that cerulein induced phosphorylation and reorganization through ERK activation by downregulating PP2A and alpha4, leading to increased migration and invasion of PANC-1 cells. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Environ Toxicol 31: 2090-2098, 2016.

Plasticity of tumor cell invasion: governance by growth factors and cytokines

Tumor cell migration, the basis for metastatic dissemination, is an adaptive process which depends upon coordinated cell interaction with the environment, influencing cell-matrix and cell-cell adhesion, cytoskeletal dynamics and extracellular matrix remodeling. Growth factors and cytokines, released within the reactive tumor microenvironment and their intracellular effector signals strongly impact mechanocoupling functions in tumor cells and thereby control the mode and extent of tumor invasion, including collective and single-cell migration and their interconversions. Besides their role in controlling tumor cell growth and survival, cytokines and growth factors thus provide complex orchestration of the metastatic cascade and tumor cell adaptation to environmental challenge. We here review the mechanisms by which growth factors and cytokines control the reciprocal interactions between tumor cells and their microenvironment, and the consequences for the efficacy and plasticity of invasion programs and metastasis.

Novel effects of sphingosylphosphorylcholine on invasion of breast cancer: Involvement of matrix metalloproteinase-3 secretion leading to WNT activation

Sphingosylphosphorylcholine (SPC) participates in several cellular processes including metastasis. SPC induces keratin reorganization and regulates the viscoelasticity of metastatic cancer cells including PANC-1 cancer cells leading to enhanced migration and invasion. The role of SPC and the relevant mechanism in invasion of breast cell are as yet unknown. SPC dose-dependently induces invasion of breast cancer cells or breast immortalized cells. Reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction and Western blot analyses of MCF10A and ZR-75-1 cells indicated that SPC induces expression and secretion of matrix metalloproteinase-3 (MMP3). From online KMPLOT, relapse free survival is high in patients having low MMP3 expressed basal breast cancer (n=581, p=0.032). UK370106 (MMP3 inhibitor) or gene silencing of MMP3 markedly inhibited the SPC-induced invasion of MCF10A cells. An extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) inhibitor, PD98059, significantly suppressed the secretion and the gelatinolytic activity of MMP3, and invasion in MCF10A cells. Over-expression of ERK1 and ERK2 promoted both the expression and secretion of MMP3. In contrast, gene silencing of ERK1 and ERK2 attenuated the secretion of MMP3 in MCF10A cells. The effects of SPC-induced MMP3 secretion on β-catenin and TCF/lymphoid enhancer factor (LEF) promoter activity were examined since MMP3 indirectly activates canonical Wnt signaling. SPC induced translocation of β-catenin to nucleus and increased TCF/LEF promoter activity. These events were suppressed by UK370106 or PD98059. Wnt inhibitor, FH535 inhibited SPC-induced MMP3 secretion and invasion. Taken together, these results suggest that SPC induces MMP3 expression and secretion via ERK leading to Wnt activation.

Epithelial membrane protein 2 regulates sphingosylphosphorylcholine-induced keratin 8 phosphorylation and reorganization: Changes of PP2A expression by interaction with alpha4 and caveolin-1 in lung cancer cells

Sphingosylphosphorylcholine (SPC) is found at increased in the malignant ascites of tumor patients and induces perinuclear reorganization of keratin 8 (K8) filaments that contribute to the viscoelasticity of metastatic cancer cells. However, the detailed mechanism of SPC-induced K8 phosphorylation and reorganization is not clear. We observed that SPC dose-dependently reduced the expression of epithelial membrane protein 2 (EMP2) in lung cancer cells. Then, we examined the role of EMP2 in SPC-induced phosphorylation and reorganization of K8 in lung cancer cells. We found that SPC concentration-dependently reduced EMP2 in A549, H1299, and other lung cancer cells. This was verified at the mRNA level by RT-PCR and real-time PCR (qPCR), and intracellular variation through confocal microscopy. EMP2 gene silencing and stable lung cancer cell lines established using EMP2 lentiviral shRNA induced K8 phosphorylation and reorganization. EMP2 overexpression reduced K8 phosphorylation and reorganization. We also observed that SPC-induced loss of EMP2 induces phosphorylation of JNK and ERK via reduced expression of protein phosphatase 2A (PP2A). Loss of EMP2 induces ubiquitination of protein phosphatase 2A (PP2A). SPC induced caveolin-1 (cav-1) expression and EEA1 endosome marker protein but not cav-2. SPC treatment enhanced the binding of cav-1 and PP2A and lowered binding of PP2A and alpha4. Gene silencing of EMP2 increased and gene silencing of cav-1 reduced migration of A549 lung cancer cells. Overall, these results suggest that SPC induces EMP2 down-regulation which reduces the PP2A via ubiquitination induced by cav-1, which sequestered alpha4, leading to the activation of ERK and JNK.

Novel effects of FTY720 on perinuclear reorganization of keratin network induced by sphingosylphosphorylcholine: Involvement of protein phosphatase 2A and G-protein-coupled receptor-12

Sphingosylphosphorylcholine (SPC) evokes perinuclear reorganization of keratin 8 (K8) filaments and regulates the viscoelasticity of metastatic cancer cells leading to enhanced migration. Few studies have addressed the compounds modulating the viscoelasticity of metastatic cancer cells. We studied the effects of sphingosine (SPH), sphingosine 1-phosphate (S1P), FTY720 and FTY720-phosphate (FTY720P) on SPC-induced K8 phosphorylation and reorganization using Western blot and confocal microscopy, and also evaluated the elasticity of PANC-1 cells by atomic force microscopy. FTY720, FTY720P, SPH, and S1P concentration-dependently inhibited SPC-evoked phosphorylation and reorganization of K8, and migration of PANC-1 cells. SPC triggered reduction and narrow distribution of elastic constant K and conversely, FTY720 blocked them. A common upstream regulator of JNK and ERK, protein phosphatase 2A (PP2A) expression was reduced by SPC, but was restored by FTY720 and FTY72P. Butyryl forskolin, a PP2A activator, suppressed SPC-induced K8 phosphorylation and okadaic acid, a PP2A inhibitor, induced K8 phosphorylation. Gene silencing of PP2A also led to K8 phosphorylation, reorganization and migration. We also investigated the involvement of GPR12, a high-affinity SPC receptor, in SPC-evoked keratin phosphorylation and reorganization. GPR12 siRNA suppressed the SPC-triggered phosphorylation and reorganization of K8. GPR12 overexpression stimulated keratin phosphorylation and reorganization even without SPC. FTY720 and FTY720P suppressed the GPR12-induced phosphorylation and reorganization of K8. The collective data indicates that FTY720 and FTY720P suppress SPC-induced phosphorylation and reorganization of K8 in PANC-1 cells by restoring the expression of PP2A via GPR12. These findings might be helpful in the development of compounds that modulate the viscoelasticity of metastatic cancer cells and various SPC actions.

The effect and mechanism of bufalin on regulating hepatocellular carcinoma cell invasion and metastasis via Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a highly malignant tumor with an extremely poor prognosis. Our preliminary study indicated that bufalin could restrain the proliferation of human hepatoma BEL-7402 cells in a time- and dose-dependent manner. In the present study, the colony formation assay, the Transwell invasion assay, the western blot analysis and the immunofluorescence method were respectively used to investigate the effect and mechanism of bufalin against HCC cell invasion and metastasis. We found that: i) bufalin had significant inhibitory effect on the cell proliferation of BEL-7402 cells; ii) bufalin markedly inhibited the migration and invasion of BEL-7402 cells; iii) bufalin could suppress the phosphorylation of GSK-3β Ser9 site in BEL-7402 cells, decrease the expression of β-catenin, cyclin D1, metalloproteinases-7 (MMP-7) and cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) in the cytoplasm, and increase the expression of E-cadherin and β-catenin on the cell membrane; and iv) the expression of α-fetoprotein significantly decreased and the expression of albumin increased in BEL-7402 cells after bufalin was used. Our results indicate that: i) bufalin can regulate the expression of associated factors in Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway of BEL-7402 cells through suppressing the phosphorylation of GSK-3β Ser9 site; ii) bufalin can strengthen intercellular E-cadherin/β-catenin complex to control epithelial-mesenchymal transition; and iii) bufalin can reverse the malignant phenotype and promote the differentiation and maturation by regulating the AFP and ALB expression in BEL-7402 cells. These are very important mechanisms of bufalin on the inhibition of the invasion and metastasis of HCC cells.