1
|
Abba ML, Patil N, Leupold JH, Allgayer H. MicroRNA Regulation of Epithelial to Mesenchymal Transition. J Clin Med 2016; 5:jcm5010008. [PMID: 26784241 PMCID: PMC4730133 DOI: 10.3390/jcm5010008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 81] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/23/2015] [Revised: 12/18/2015] [Accepted: 01/05/2016] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Epithelial to mesenchymal transition (EMT) is a central regulatory program that is similar in many aspects to several steps of embryonic morphogenesis. In addition to its physiological role in tissue repair and wound healing, EMT contributes to chemo resistance, metastatic dissemination and fibrosis, amongst others. Classically, the morphological change from epithelial to mesenchymal phenotype is characterized by the appearance or loss of a group of proteins which have come to be recognized as markers of the EMT process. As with all proteins, these molecules are controlled at the transcriptional and translational level by transcription factors and microRNAs, respectively. A group of developmental transcription factors form the backbone of the EMT cascade and a large body of evidence shows that microRNAs are heavily involved in the successful coordination of mesenchymal transformation and vice versa, either by suppressing the expression of different groups of transcription factors, or otherwise acting as their functional mediators in orchestrating EMT. This article dissects the contribution of microRNAs to EMT and analyzes the molecular basis for their roles in this cellular process. Here, we emphasize their interaction with core transcription factors like the zinc finger enhancer (E)-box binding homeobox (ZEB), Snail and Twist families as well as some pluripotency transcription factors.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Mohammed L Abba
- Department of Experimental Surgery, Center for Biomedicine and Medical Technology Mannheim (CBTM), Medical Faculty Mannheim, Ruprecht Karl University of Heidelberg, Ludolf-Krehl-Str. 6, 68135 Mannheim, Germany.
| | - Nitin Patil
- Department of Experimental Surgery, Center for Biomedicine and Medical Technology Mannheim (CBTM), Medical Faculty Mannheim, Ruprecht Karl University of Heidelberg, Ludolf-Krehl-Str. 6, 68135 Mannheim, Germany.
| | - Jörg Hendrik Leupold
- Department of Experimental Surgery, Center for Biomedicine and Medical Technology Mannheim (CBTM), Medical Faculty Mannheim, Ruprecht Karl University of Heidelberg, Ludolf-Krehl-Str. 6, 68135 Mannheim, Germany.
| | - Heike Allgayer
- Department of Experimental Surgery, Center for Biomedicine and Medical Technology Mannheim (CBTM), Medical Faculty Mannheim, Ruprecht Karl University of Heidelberg, Ludolf-Krehl-Str. 6, 68135 Mannheim, Germany.
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Abba M, Patil N, Leupold JH, Allgayer H. MicroRNAs-from metastasis prediction to metastasis prevention? Mol Cell Oncol 2015; 3:e1074336. [PMID: 27308596 DOI: 10.1080/23723556.2015.1074336] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/10/2015] [Revised: 07/15/2015] [Accepted: 07/15/2015] [Indexed: 10/22/2022]
Abstract
Recently, we suggested the microRNA (miR) landscape defining metastasis. The first miR-driven network orchestrating invasion, intravasation, and metastasis was confirmed independently across several malignancies, suggesting a rather general principle for metastasis regulation. We hope that our data will stimulate the field in terms of further hypothesis generation, metastasis prediction, and metastasis prevention.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Mohammed Abba
- Department of Experimental Surgery, Medical Faculty Mannheim, Theodor Kutzer Ufer 1-3, 68135 Mannheim, Ruprecht Karl University of Heidelberg, Germany; Centre for Biomedicine and Medical Technology Mannheim (CBTM), Medical Faculty Mannheim, Ludolf-Krehl-Str. 6, 68135 Mannheim, Ruprecht Karl University of Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Nitin Patil
- Department of Experimental Surgery, Medical Faculty Mannheim, Theodor Kutzer Ufer 1-3, 68135 Mannheim, Ruprecht Karl University of Heidelberg, Germany; Centre for Biomedicine and Medical Technology Mannheim (CBTM), Medical Faculty Mannheim, Ludolf-Krehl-Str. 6, 68135 Mannheim, Ruprecht Karl University of Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Jörg Hendrik Leupold
- Department of Experimental Surgery, Medical Faculty Mannheim, Theodor Kutzer Ufer 1-3, 68135 Mannheim, Ruprecht Karl University of Heidelberg, Germany; Centre for Biomedicine and Medical Technology Mannheim (CBTM), Medical Faculty Mannheim, Ludolf-Krehl-Str. 6, 68135 Mannheim, Ruprecht Karl University of Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Heike Allgayer
- Department of Experimental Surgery, Medical Faculty Mannheim, Theodor Kutzer Ufer 1-3, 68135 Mannheim, Ruprecht Karl University of Heidelberg, Germany; Centre for Biomedicine and Medical Technology Mannheim (CBTM), Medical Faculty Mannheim, Ludolf-Krehl-Str. 6, 68135 Mannheim, Ruprecht Karl University of Heidelberg, Germany
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Mudduluru G, Abba M, Batliner J, Patil N, Scharp M, Lunavat TR, Leupold JH, Oleksiuk O, Juraeva D, Thiele W, Rothley M, Benner A, Ben-Neriah Y, Sleeman J, Allgayer H. A Systematic Approach to Defining the microRNA Landscape in Metastasis. Cancer Res 2015; 75:3010-9. [PMID: 26069251 DOI: 10.1158/0008-5472.can-15-0997] [Citation(s) in RCA: 51] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/17/2015] [Accepted: 04/27/2015] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
The microRNA (miRNA) landscape changes during the progression of cancer. We defined a metastasis-associated miRNA landscape using a systematic approach. We profiled and validated miRNA and mRNA expression in a unique series of human colorectal metastasis tissues together with their matched primary tumors and corresponding normal tissues. We identified an exclusive miRNA signature that is differentially expressed in metastases. Three of these miRNAs were identified as key drivers of an EMT-regulating network acting though a number of novel targets. These targets include SIAH1, SETD2, ZEB2, and especially FOXN3, which we demonstrated for the first time as a direct transcriptional suppressor of N-cadherin. The modulation of N-cadherin expression had significant impact on migration, invasion, and metastasis in two different in vivo models. The significant deregulation of the miRNAs defining the network was confirmed in an independent patient set as well as in a database of diverse malignancies derived from more than 6,000 patients. Our data define a novel metastasis-orchestrating network based on systematic hypothesis generation from metastasis tissues.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Giridhar Mudduluru
- Department of Experimental Surgery, Medical Faculty Mannheim, University of Heidelberg, Mannheim, Germany. Molecular Oncology of Solid Tumors Unit, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Mohammed Abba
- Department of Experimental Surgery, Medical Faculty Mannheim, University of Heidelberg, Mannheim, Germany. Molecular Oncology of Solid Tumors Unit, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Germany. Centre for Biomedicine and Medical Technology Mannheim, Mannheim, Germany
| | - Jasmin Batliner
- Department of Experimental Surgery, Medical Faculty Mannheim, University of Heidelberg, Mannheim, Germany. Molecular Oncology of Solid Tumors Unit, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Nitin Patil
- Department of Experimental Surgery, Medical Faculty Mannheim, University of Heidelberg, Mannheim, Germany. Molecular Oncology of Solid Tumors Unit, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Germany. Centre for Biomedicine and Medical Technology Mannheim, Mannheim, Germany
| | - Maike Scharp
- Department of Experimental Surgery, Medical Faculty Mannheim, University of Heidelberg, Mannheim, Germany. Molecular Oncology of Solid Tumors Unit, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Taral R Lunavat
- Department of Experimental Surgery, Medical Faculty Mannheim, University of Heidelberg, Mannheim, Germany. Molecular Oncology of Solid Tumors Unit, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Jörg Hendrik Leupold
- Department of Experimental Surgery, Medical Faculty Mannheim, University of Heidelberg, Mannheim, Germany. Molecular Oncology of Solid Tumors Unit, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Germany. Centre for Biomedicine and Medical Technology Mannheim, Mannheim, Germany
| | - Olga Oleksiuk
- Department of Experimental Surgery, Medical Faculty Mannheim, University of Heidelberg, Mannheim, Germany. Molecular Oncology of Solid Tumors Unit, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Dilafruz Juraeva
- Department of Theoretical Bioinformatics, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Wilko Thiele
- Centre for Biomedicine and Medical Technology Mannheim, Mannheim, Germany. Institute for Toxicology and Genetics, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), Karlsruhe, Germany
| | - Melanie Rothley
- Centre for Biomedicine and Medical Technology Mannheim, Mannheim, Germany. Institute for Toxicology and Genetics, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), Karlsruhe, Germany
| | - Axel Benner
- Department of Biostatistics, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Yinon Ben-Neriah
- Lautenberg Centre for Immunology and Cancer Research Institute for Medical Research Israel-Canada, The Hebrew University, Hadassah Medical School Jerusalem, Jerusalem, Israel
| | - Jonathan Sleeman
- Centre for Biomedicine and Medical Technology Mannheim, Mannheim, Germany. Institute for Toxicology and Genetics, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), Karlsruhe, Germany
| | - Heike Allgayer
- Department of Experimental Surgery, Medical Faculty Mannheim, University of Heidelberg, Mannheim, Germany. Centre for Biomedicine and Medical Technology Mannheim, Mannheim, Germany.
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Schildberg CW, Abba M, Merkel S, Agaimy A, Dimmler A, Schlabrakowski A, Croner R, Leupold JH, Hohenberger W, Allgayer H. Gastric cancer patients less than 50 years of age exhibit significant downregulation of E-cadherin and CDX2 compared to older reference populations. Adv Med Sci 2014; 59:142-6. [PMID: 24797991 DOI: 10.1016/j.advms.2014.03.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/01/2013] [Accepted: 11/12/2013] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
PURPOSE There is an increasing need to identify molecular markers, which can be used to prognosticate patient populations in gastric cancer. Whereas a significant number have been identified, very few have been characterized in the context of their ability to discriminate between young and old age groups in which a survival difference clearly exists. MATERIAL/METHODS In this study, using immunohistochemistry, we evaluated three markers with proven involvement in gastric cancer. The p53 tumor suppressor, the cell adhesion glycoprotein epithelial cadherin (CDH1) and the caudal-related homeobox transcription factor (CDX2) all of these have important roles in the aetiopathogenesis and/or progression of gastric cancer. RESULTS After adjustments for TNM stage, tumor grade, histopathological characteristics (Lauren classification), we found significant differences in the expression of these proteins, particularly E-cadherin and CDX2 between young and elderly patients. However, these differences did not amount to a significant difference in survival. CONCLUSIONS This study demonstrates that the protein expression of p53, CDH1 and CDX2 significantly discriminates young patients with gastric cancer who have a better prognostic outlook from older patients, but this difference in expression does not contribute to a survival benefit.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | - Mohammed Abba
- Department of Experimental Surgery and Molecular Oncology of Solid Tumors, Medical Faculty Mannheim, University Heidelberg and DKFZ Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Susanne Merkel
- Cancer Registry, Department of Surgery, University Erlangen, Erlangen, Germany
| | - Abbas Agaimy
- Institute of Pathology, University Erlangen, Erlangen, Germany
| | - Arno Dimmler
- Department of Pathology, St. Vincentius Hospital, Karlsruhe, Germany
| | | | - Roland Croner
- Department of Surgery, University Erlangen, Erlangen, Germany
| | - Jörg Hendrik Leupold
- Department of Experimental Surgery and Molecular Oncology of Solid Tumors, Medical Faculty Mannheim, University Heidelberg and DKFZ Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany
| | | | - Heike Allgayer
- Department of Experimental Surgery and Molecular Oncology of Solid Tumors, Medical Faculty Mannheim, University Heidelberg and DKFZ Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
Patil N, Ahmed Kabeer Rasheed S, Abba M, Hendrik Leupold J, Schwarzbach M, Allgayer H. A mechanistic study on the metastasis inducing function of FUS-CHOP fusion protein in liposarcoma. Int J Cancer 2013; 134:2808-19. [PMID: 24285420 DOI: 10.1002/ijc.28638] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/12/2013] [Revised: 10/16/2013] [Accepted: 11/07/2013] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Abstract
The FUS-CHOP fusion protein has been found to be instrumental for specific oncogenic processes in liposarcoma, but its ability to induce metastasis and the underlying mechanisms by which this can be achieved remain unknown. To dissect its functional role in this context, we stably overexpressed this protein in SW872 liposarcoma and HT1080 fibrosarcoma cell lines, and were able to demonstrate that forced expression of FUS-CHOP significantly increases migration and invasion, as well as enhances lung and liver metastasis in the in vivo chicken chorioallantoic membrane (CAM) model, that is proliferation independent. Additionally, FUS-CHOP enhances the expression of matrix-metalloproteinases -2 and -9, and transactivates their promoters in vitro. Mutational analysis showed that C/EBP-β- (-769/-755), NF-κB (-525/-516) and CREB/AP-1 (-218/-207) sites were important for MMP-2 and NF-κB (-604/-598), AP-1 (-539/-532) and AP-1 (-81/-72) for MMP-9 transactivation. Moreover, a direct in vivo interaction of FUS-CHOP was observed in case of the MMP-2 promoter within region (-769/-207). siRNA data revealed that MMP-2 expression is essential in the FUS-CHOP induced metastatic phenotype. MMP-2-mRNA and protein expression correlated significantly with FUS-CHOP positivity in 46 resected patient liposarcoma tissues. We have for the first time provided substantial evidence for the FUS-CHOP oncoprotein as an inducer of metastasis that is due to the transcriptional induction of specific tumor-associated proteases. Insights gained from this study not only support a deeper understanding of the mechanistic properties of FUS-CHOP, but also open up new avenues for targeted therapy.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Nitin Patil
- Department of Experimental Surgery and Molecular Oncology of Solid Tumors, Medical Faculty Mannheim, University of Heidelberg and German Cancer Research Center, Heidelberg, Germany
| | | | | | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
6
|
Abba M, Patil N, Rasheed K, Nelson LD, Mudduluru G, Leupold JH, Allgayer H. Unraveling the role of FOXQ1 in colorectal cancer metastasis. Mol Cancer Res 2013; 11:1017-28. [PMID: 23723077 DOI: 10.1158/1541-7786.mcr-13-0024] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
UNLABELLED Malignant cell transformation, invasion, and metastasis are dependent on the coordinated rewiring of gene expression. A major component in the scaffold of these reprogramming events is one in which epithelial cells lose intercellular connections and polarity to adopt a more motile mesenchymal phenotype, which is largely supported by a robust transcriptional machinery consisting mostly of developmental transcription factors. This study demonstrates that the winged helix transcription factor, FOXQ1, contributes to this rewiring process, in part by directly modulating the transcription of TWIST1, itself a key mediator of metastasis that transcriptionally regulates the expression of important molecules involved in epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition. Forced expression and RNA-mediated silencing of FOXQ1 led to enhanced and suppressed mRNA and protein levels of TWIST1, respectively. Mechanistically, FOXQ1 enhanced the reporter activity of TWIST1 and directly interacted with its promoter. Furthermore, enhanced expression of FOXQ1 resulted in increased migration and invasion in colorectal cancer cell lines, whereas knockdown studies showed the opposite effect. Moreover, using the in vivo chicken chorioallantoic membrane metastasis assay model, FOXQ1 significantly enhanced distant metastasis with minimal effects on tumor growth. IMPLICATIONS These findings reveal FOXQ1 as a modulator of TWIST1-mediated metastatic phenotypes and support its potential as a biomarker of metastasis.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Mohammed Abba
- Department of Experimental Surgery, Medical Faculty Mannheim, Ruprecht Karls University Heidelberg and, Molecular Oncology of Solid Tumors Unit, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Medical Faculty Mannheim, University of Heidelberg, Theodor Kutzer Ufer 1-3, D-68135, Mannheim, Germany.
| | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
7
|
Asangani IA, Rasheed SAK, Nikolova DA, Leupold JH, Colburn NH, Post S, Allgayer H. MicroRNA-21 (miR-21) post-transcriptionally downregulates tumor suppressor Pdcd4 and stimulates invasion, intravasation and metastasis in colorectal cancer. Oncogene 2007. [PMID: 17968323 DOI: 10.1038/sj.onc] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
Abstract
Tumor-suppressor Pdcd4 inhibits transformation and invasion and is downregulated in cancers. So far, it has not been studied as to whether miRNAs, suppressing target expression by binding to the 3'-UTR, regulate Pdcd4 or invasion. The present study was conducted to investigate the regulation of Pdcd4, and invasion/intra-vasation, by miRNAs. A bioinformatics search revealed a conserved target-site for miR-21 within the Pdcd4-3'-UTR at 228-249 nt. In 10 colorectal cell lines, an inverse correlation of miR-21 and Pdcd4-protein was observed. Transfection of Colo206f-cells with miR-21 significantly suppressed a luciferase-reporter containing the Pdcd4-3'-UTR, whereas transfection of RKO with anti-miR-21 increased activity of this construct. This was abolished when a construct mutated at the miR-21/nt228-249 target site was used instead. Anti-miR-21-transfected RKO cells showed an increase of Pdcd4-protein and reduced invasion. Moreover, these cells showed reduced intra-vasation and lung metastasis in a chicken-embryo-metastasis assay. In contrast, overexpression of miR-21 in Colo206f significantly reduced Pdcd4-protein amounts and increased invasion, while Pdcd4-mRNA was unaltered. Resected normal/tumor tissues of 22 colorectal cancer patients demonstrated an inverse correlation between miR-21 and Pdcd4-protein. This is the first study to show that Pdcd4 is negatively regulated by miR-21. Furthermore, it is the first report to demonstrate that miR-21 induces invasion/intravasation/metastasis.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- I A Asangani
- Department of Experimental Surgery and Molecular Oncology of Solid Tumors, Medical Faculty Mannheim, University of Heidelberg, Germany
| | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
8
|
Leupold JH, Yang HS, Colburn NH, Asangani I, Post S, Allgayer H. Tumor suppressor Pdcd4 inhibits invasion/intravasation and regulates urokinase receptor (u-PAR) gene expression via Sp-transcription factors. Oncogene 2007; 26:4550-62. [PMID: 17297470 DOI: 10.1038/sj.onc.1210234] [Citation(s) in RCA: 130] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
Tumor suppressor Pdcd4 has recently been shown to inhibit invasion by activating activator protein-1 (AP-1); however, little is known of the functionally significant Pdcd4-target genes. The urokinase receptor (u-PAR) promotes invasion/metastasis, and is associated with poor cancer-patient survival. The present study was conducted (1) to investigate a role for Pdcd4 in intravasation, invasion and u-PAR regulation, and (2) to describe mechanisms by which this is achieved. Fourteen cell lines showed reciprocal expression of u-PAR/Pdcd4. Resected tumor/normal tissues of 29 colorectal cancer patients demonstrated a significant inverse correlation between Pdcd4/u-PAR. siRNA-Pdcd4-transfected GEO cells significantly increased endogenous u-PAR mRNA/protein. A u-PAR-promoter-chloramphenicol acetyl transferase (CAT)-reporter was reduced in activity with increasing Pdcd4 expression in RKO. Deletion of a putative Sp-1-binding site (-402/-350) inhibited u-PAR promoter regulation by Pdcd4, this being paralleled by a reduction of Sp1 binding to this region in pdcd4-transfected cells. Pdcd4-transfected cells showed an increase in Sp3 binding to u-PAR promoter region -152/-135, the deletion of which reduces the ability of Pdcd4 to suppress u-PAR promoter activity. Surprisingly, the u-PAR-AP-1 site was not targeted by Pdcd4. Finally, RKO cells overexpressing Pdcd4 showed an inhibition of invasion/intravasation (chicken embryo metastasis assay). These data suggest Pdcd4 as a new negative regulator of intravasation, and qas the invasion-related gene u-PAR. It is the first study to implicate Pdcd4 regulation of gene expression via Sp1/Sp3.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- J H Leupold
- The Department of Experimental Surgery and Molecular Oncology of Solid Tumors, Medical Faculty Mannheim, University Heidelberg and DKFZ Heidelberg, Germany
| | | | | | | | | | | |
Collapse
|