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Yang B, Wang L, Tian Z. Silencing of RhoC induces macrophage M1 polarization to inhibit migration and invasion in colon cancer via regulating the PTEN/FOXO1 pathway. Int J Exp Pathol 2023; 104:33-42. [PMID: 36576072 PMCID: PMC9845608 DOI: 10.1111/iep.12460] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [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: 07/11/2022] [Revised: 09/01/2022] [Accepted: 10/18/2022] [Indexed: 12/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Ras homologue family member C (RhoC) is an oncogene in diverse types of human cancers, whereas its regulatory mechanisms involving macrophage polarization is rarely investigated. This study is designed to explore the regulatory role of RhoC in colon cancer and the underlying molecular mechanisms involving macrophage polarization. We detected RhoC expression by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) and western blot, and analysed the biological function of RhoC knockdown in CC cells by the MTT, wound healing and transwell assay. Macrophage polarization-associated markers, genes associated with migration, phosphatase and tensin homologue (PTEN) and forkhead box O (FOXO) were determined by qRT-PCR and western blot. The xenograft tumour mouse model was used to assess the role of RhoC in vivo. RhoC is highly expressed in CC cells. The cell viability, invasion and migration abilities of CC cells were reduced by knockdown of RhoC. RhoC knockdown promoted M1 polarization, inhibited M2 polarization and decreased levels of genes associated with migration (matrix metalloproteinase-2 and matrix metalloproteinase-9). Silencing of RhoC inhibited tumour growth and expression of genes associated with migration in the xenografted model. In addition, silencing of RhoC promoted PTEN/FOXO1 expression, and PTEN inhibitor (SF1670) reversed the inhibitory effects of RhoC silencing. We demonstrated that silencing of RhoC reduced CC cells invasion and migration, and tumour growth by suppressing M2 macrophage polarization via regulating the PTEN/FOXO1 pathway.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bin Yang
- Department of GastroenterologyHarrison International Peace HospitalHengshuiChina
| | - Lihua Wang
- Department of GastroenterologyHarrison International Peace HospitalHengshuiChina
| | - Zhiying Tian
- Department of GastroenterologyHarrison International Peace HospitalHengshuiChina
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2
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Ren S, Zhang N, Shen L, Lu Y, Chang Y, Lin Z, Sun N, Zhang Y, Xu J, Huang H, Jin H. Lnc00892 competes with c-Jun to block NCL transcription, reducing the stability of RhoA/RhoC mRNA and impairing bladder cancer invasion. Oncogene 2021; 40:6579-6589. [PMID: 34615995 DOI: 10.1038/s41388-021-02033-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/09/2021] [Revised: 09/07/2021] [Accepted: 09/21/2021] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
Metastasis of bladder cancer is a complex process and has been associated with poor clinical outcomes. However, the mechanisms of bladder cancer metastasis remain largely unknown. The present study found that the long noncoding RNA lnc00892 was significantly downregulated in bladder cancer tissues, with low lnc00892 expression associated with poor prognosis of bladder cancer patients. Lnc00892 significantly inhibited the migration, invasion, and metastasis of bladder cancer cells in vitro and in vivo. In-depth analysis showed that RhoA/C acted downstream of lnc00892 to inhibit bladder cancer metastasis. Mechanistically, lnc00892 reduces nucleolin gene transcription by competitively binding the promoter of nucleolin with c-Jun, thereby inhibiting nucleolin-mediated stabilization of RhoA/RhoC mRNA. Taken together, these findings provide novel insights into understanding the mechanisms of bladder cancer metastasis and suggest that lnc00892 can serve as a potential therapeutic target in patients with invasive bladder cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shuwei Ren
- Zhejiang Province Key Laboratory of Medical Genetics, Key Laboratory of Laboratory Medicine, Ministry of Education, School of Laboratory Medicine and Life Sciences, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, Zhejiang, China
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, The Sixth Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Ning Zhang
- Zhejiang Province Key Laboratory of Medical Genetics, Key Laboratory of Laboratory Medicine, Ministry of Education, School of Laboratory Medicine and Life Sciences, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Liping Shen
- Zhejiang Province Key Laboratory of Medical Genetics, Key Laboratory of Laboratory Medicine, Ministry of Education, School of Laboratory Medicine and Life Sciences, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Yongyong Lu
- Department of Urology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Yixin Chang
- Zhejiang Province Key Laboratory of Medical Genetics, Key Laboratory of Laboratory Medicine, Ministry of Education, School of Laboratory Medicine and Life Sciences, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Zhenni Lin
- Zhejiang Province Key Laboratory of Medical Genetics, Key Laboratory of Laboratory Medicine, Ministry of Education, School of Laboratory Medicine and Life Sciences, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Ning Sun
- Zhejiang Province Key Laboratory of Medical Genetics, Key Laboratory of Laboratory Medicine, Ministry of Education, School of Laboratory Medicine and Life Sciences, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Yuanmei Zhang
- Zhejiang Province Key Laboratory of Medical Genetics, Key Laboratory of Laboratory Medicine, Ministry of Education, School of Laboratory Medicine and Life Sciences, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Jiheng Xu
- Zhejiang Province Key Laboratory of Medical Genetics, Key Laboratory of Laboratory Medicine, Ministry of Education, School of Laboratory Medicine and Life Sciences, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Haishan Huang
- Zhejiang Province Key Laboratory of Medical Genetics, Key Laboratory of Laboratory Medicine, Ministry of Education, School of Laboratory Medicine and Life Sciences, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Honglei Jin
- Zhejiang Province Key Laboratory of Medical Genetics, Key Laboratory of Laboratory Medicine, Ministry of Education, School of Laboratory Medicine and Life Sciences, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, Zhejiang, China.
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Hu SQ, Zhang QC, Meng QB, Hu AN, Zou JP, Li XL. Autophagy regulates exosome secretion in rat nucleus pulposus cells via the RhoC/ROCK2 pathway. Exp Cell Res 2020; 395:112239. [PMID: 32828826 DOI: 10.1016/j.yexcr.2020.112239] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [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: 06/13/2020] [Revised: 08/14/2020] [Accepted: 08/17/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Our present study investigated whether exosome secretion of nucleus pulposus cells (NPCs) is regulated by autophagy. Different autophagic states of NPCs were induced by rapamycin (Rap), bafilomycin A1 (Baf) and other agents, and it was found that exosomes were secreted in an autophagy-dependent manner. Activation or inhibition of autophagy increased or decreased, respectively, the amount of exosomes that were released into the extracellular space. In addition, in order to confirm that Rap-promoted release of exosomes was mediated by autophagy rather than other pathways, we used autophagy associated gene 5 (ATG5) small-interfering RNA (siRNA) to silence the expression of ATG5 gene, which is indispensable for autophagy. The results showed that siRNA against ATG5 (siATG5) induced an accumulation of intraluminal vesicles (ILVs) in NPCs and a concomitant decrease in the amount of exosomes isolated from supernatant. Ras homolog gene (Rho) and Rho-associated coiled-coil forming protein kinase (ROCK) family molecules are capable of cytoskeletal remodeling and affecting vesicle transport. Therefore, we carried out targeted interventions and evaluated the effects of the RhoC/ROCK2 pathway on the secretion of exosomes within autophagic environment. Knockdown of RhoC and ROCK2 with corresponding siRNA significantly inhibited the secretion of exosomes originating from ILVs in NPCs, even when NPCs were subsequently treated with Rap. Taken together, our findings suggest that autophagy positively regulates expression levels of RhoC and ROCK2, and that the RhoC/ROCK2 pathway exerts a key function on NPCs-derived exosome secretion.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shun-Qi Hu
- Department of Orthopedics, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, China
| | - Qi-Chen Zhang
- Department of Orthopedics, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, China
| | - Qing-Bing Meng
- Department of Orthopedics, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, China
| | - An-Nan Hu
- Department of Orthopedics, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, China
| | - Jia-Peng Zou
- Department of Orthopedics, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, China
| | - Xi-Lei Li
- Department of Orthopedics, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, China.
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4
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Xie SL, Wang M, Du XH, Zhao ZW, Lv GY. [miR-455 Inhibits HepG2 Cell Proliferation and Promotes Apoptosis by Targeting RhoC]. Mol Biol (Mosk) 2020; 54:69-77. [PMID: 32163390 DOI: 10.31857/s0026898420010152] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [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: 07/07/2018] [Accepted: 01/15/2019] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a common malignancy worldwide with poor prognosis and high mortality. The aberrant expression or alteration of microRNAs (miRNAs) contributes to the development and progression of cancer. Studies have shown that miR-455 plays a regulatory role in the development of HCC. Therefore, in the present study, the role of miR-455 was analyzed in HepG2 cells proliferation and apoptosis using MTT and flow cytometry methods. Binding sites were predicted by bioinformatics and luciferase assay was used to verify the target relationship between miR-455 and RhoC-encoding gene RHOC. After that, the effects of miR-455 on RHOC and its product RhoC, were explored by qPCR and Western blotting. As PTEN is a key tumor suppressor gene in HCC, and Bcl-2 and Caspase 3 are important indication of apoptosis, expression levels of PTEN, Bcl2 and Caspase 3 proteins were determined in cells overexpressing RhoC. We show that miR-455 promotes HepG2 cells apoptosis and inhibits proliferation. Bioinformatics analysis and luciferase assay indicate that specific recognition sites for miR-455 are within the RhoC 3'-UTR. Luciferase activity was significantly lower in the cells co-transfected with miR-455 mimics and RhoC-WT (p < 0.01) as compared to that in control cells, pointing that RHOC gene is, indeed, targeted by miR-455. RHOC mRNA was significantly reduced after miR-455 transfection in HepG2 cells. In addition, we show that RhoC could activate the HCC cells proliferation ability and inhibit apoptosis rate (p < 0.01), and decrease expression of PTEN and Caspase 3 (p < 0.01), while upregulating levels of Bcl2. In conclusion, our study indicates that miR-455 plays a suppressive role in HCC development by targeting RhoC-encoding mRNA.
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Affiliation(s)
- S L Xie
- Department of General Surgery, First Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, Jilin Province, 130021 China
| | - M Wang
- Department of General Surgery, First Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, Jilin Province, 130021 China
| | - X H Du
- Department of General Surgery, First Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, Jilin Province, 130021 China
| | - Z W Zhao
- Department of General Surgery, First Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, Jilin Province, 130021 China
| | - G Y Lv
- Department of General Surgery, First Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, Jilin Province, 130021 China
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Liu K, Sun MM, Zhao ZH, Wei N, Jiang GZ, Wang ZY, Zhang L, Zhu XY, Dai LP, Yang HM, Wang T, Chen KS. Effect of RhoC silencing on multiple myeloma xenografts and angiogenesis in nude mice. J BIOL REG HOMEOS AG 2019; 33:1387-1394. [PMID: 31507136] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
In this study, we investigated the expression of RhoC in the multiple myeloma (MM) cell line RPMI- 8226, as well as the effects of silencing RhoC on the growth of tumor xenografts and tumor-induced angiogenesis in nude mice with MM. For this purpose, we transduced RPMI-8226 cells with lentiviral particles overexpressing short hairpin RNAs (shRNA) targeting RhoC. Tumor xenografts were generated by subcutaneously injecting nude mice with RPMI-8226 cells overexpressing control shRNA [negative control (NC) group] or the RhoC shRNA [the experimental (S) group], respectively. RhoC protein and mRNA levels in the tumor xenografts were measured. Nude mice were also subcutaneously inoculated with Matrigel mixed with vascular endothelial growth factor, and CD31 and KI67 levels in the tumor xenografts were measured by immunohistochemistry. Similarly, we assessed tumor xenograft growth and angiogenesis in Matrigel implants in the mice of both groups. We found that RhoC levels, microvessel density, and CD31 labeling index were more reduced in the S group than in the NC group. However, there was no significant difference in the size of tumor xenografts between the 2 groups. The number of new vessels and the neovascular length in the Matrigel implants were significantly lower in the S group than in the NC group. Therefore, we concluded that RhoC expression in myeloma xenografts has important effects on the induction of angiogenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- K Liu
- Department of Pathology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Henan Key Laboratory of Tumor Pathology, Zhengzhou, China
| | - M M Sun
- Department of Urinary Surgery, Harbin Medical University Cancer Hospital, Harbin, China
| | - Z H Zhao
- Department of Pathology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Henan Key Laboratory of Tumor Pathology, Zhengzhou, China
| | - N Wei
- Department of Pathology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Henan Key Laboratory of Tumor Pathology, Zhengzhou, China
| | - G Z Jiang
- Department of Pathology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Henan Key Laboratory of Tumor Pathology, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Z Y Wang
- Department of Pathology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Henan Key Laboratory of Tumor Pathology, Zhengzhou, China
| | - L Zhang
- Department of Pathology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Henan Key Laboratory of Tumor Pathology, Zhengzhou, China
| | - X Y Zhu
- Histology and Embryology Teaching and Research Center, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China
| | - L P Dai
- Henan Academy of Medical and Pharmaceutical Sciences Department of Epidemmiology, Zhengzhou, China
| | - H M Yang
- Henan Medical College Basic Medical Department, Zhengzhou, China
| | - T Wang
- Department of Pathology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Henan Key Laboratory of Tumor Pathology, Zhengzhou, China
| | - K S Chen
- Department of Pathology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Henan Key Laboratory of Tumor Pathology, Zhengzhou, China
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García-Mariscal A, Li H, Pedersen E, Peyrollier K, Ryan KM, Stanley A, Quondamatteo F, Brakebusch C. Loss of RhoA promotes skin tumor formation and invasion by upregulation of RhoB. Oncogene 2018; 37:847-860. [PMID: 29059167 DOI: 10.1038/onc.2017.333] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/10/2017] [Revised: 07/26/2017] [Accepted: 08/12/2017] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Cellular movement is controlled by small GTPases, such as RhoA. Although migration is crucial for cancer cell invasion, the specific role of RhoA in tumor formation is unclear. Inducing skin tumors in mice with a keratinocyte-restricted loss of RhoA, we observed increased tumor frequency, growth and invasion. In vitro invasion assays revealed that in the absence of RhoA cell invasiveness is increased in a Rho-associated protein kinase (ROCK) activation and cell contraction-dependent manner. Surprisingly, loss of RhoA causes increased Rho signaling via overcompensation by RhoB because of reduced lysosomal degradation of RhoB in Gamma-aminobutyric acid receptor-associated protein (GABARAP)+ autophagosomes and endosomes. In the absence of RhoA, RhoB relocalized to the plasma membrane and functionally replaced RhoA with respect to invasion, clonogenic growth and survival. Our data demonstrate for the first time that RhoA is a tumor suppressor in 7,12-dimethylbenz[a]anthracene/12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol 13-acetate skin carcinogenesis and identify Rho signaling dependent on RhoA and RhoB as a potent driver of tumor progression.
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Affiliation(s)
- A García-Mariscal
- Biotech Research and Innovation Centre, BRIC, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - H Li
- Biotech Research and Innovation Centre, BRIC, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - E Pedersen
- Biotech Research and Innovation Centre, BRIC, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - K Peyrollier
- Biotech Research and Innovation Centre, BRIC, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | | | - A Stanley
- Skin and Extracellular Matrix Research Group, Anatomy, NUI, Galway, Ireland
| | - F Quondamatteo
- Skin and Extracellular Matrix Research Group, Anatomy, NUI, Galway, Ireland
| | - C Brakebusch
- Biotech Research and Innovation Centre, BRIC, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
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Xavier-Ferrucio J, Ricon L, Vieira K, Longhini AL, Lazarini M, Bigarella CL, Franchi G, Krause DS, Saad STO. Hematopoietic defects in response to reduced Arhgap21. Stem Cell Res 2017; 26:17-27. [PMID: 29212046 PMCID: PMC6084430 DOI: 10.1016/j.scr.2017.11.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/27/2017] [Revised: 11/13/2017] [Accepted: 11/20/2017] [Indexed: 12/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Arhgap21 is a member of the Rho GTPase activating protein (RhoGAP) family, which function as negative regulators of Rho GTPases. Arhgap21 has been implicated in adhesion and migration of cancer cells. However, the role of Arhgap21 has never been investigated in hematopoietic cells. Herein, we evaluated functional aspects of hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells (HSPC) using a haploinsufficient (Arhgap21+/-) mouse. Our results show that Arhgap21+/- mice have an increased frequency of phenotypic HSC, impaired ability to form progenitor colonies in vitro and decreased hematopoietic engraftment in vivo, along with a decrease in LSK cell frequency during serial bone marrow transplantation. Arhgap21+/- hematopoietic progenitor cells have impaired adhesion and enhanced mobilization of immature LSK and myeloid progenitors. Arhgap21+/- mice also exhibit reduced erythroid commitment and differentiation, which was recapitulated in human primary cells, in which knockdown of ARHGAP21 in CMP and MEP resulted in decreased erythroid commitment. Finally, we observed enhanced RhoC activity in the bone marrow cells of Arhgap21+/- mice, indicating that Arhgap21 functions in hematopoiesis may be at least partially mediated by RhoC inactivation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Juliana Xavier-Ferrucio
- Hematology and Blood Transfusion Center University of Campinas/Hemocentro-UNICAMP, Instituto Nacional de Ciência e Tecnologia do Sangue, Campinas, SP, Brazil; Department of Laboratory Medicine, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA.; Yale Stem Cell Center, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Lauremília Ricon
- Hematology and Blood Transfusion Center University of Campinas/Hemocentro-UNICAMP, Instituto Nacional de Ciência e Tecnologia do Sangue, Campinas, SP, Brazil
| | - Karla Vieira
- Hematology and Blood Transfusion Center University of Campinas/Hemocentro-UNICAMP, Instituto Nacional de Ciência e Tecnologia do Sangue, Campinas, SP, Brazil
| | - Ana Leda Longhini
- Hematology and Blood Transfusion Center University of Campinas/Hemocentro-UNICAMP, Instituto Nacional de Ciência e Tecnologia do Sangue, Campinas, SP, Brazil
| | - Mariana Lazarini
- Hematology and Blood Transfusion Center University of Campinas/Hemocentro-UNICAMP, Instituto Nacional de Ciência e Tecnologia do Sangue, Campinas, SP, Brazil; Department of Biological Sciences, Federal University of São Paulo, Diadema, Brazil
| | - Carolina Louzão Bigarella
- Hematology and Blood Transfusion Center University of Campinas/Hemocentro-UNICAMP, Instituto Nacional de Ciência e Tecnologia do Sangue, Campinas, SP, Brazil
| | - Gilberto Franchi
- Onco-Hematological Child Research Center (CIPOI), Faculty of Medical Sciences, University of Campinas-UNICAMP, Campinas, SP, Brazil
| | - Diane S Krause
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA.; Yale Stem Cell Center, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Sara T O Saad
- Hematology and Blood Transfusion Center University of Campinas/Hemocentro-UNICAMP, Instituto Nacional de Ciência e Tecnologia do Sangue, Campinas, SP, Brazil.
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Zhou X, Guo X, Chen M, Xie C, Jiang J. HIF-3α Promotes Metastatic Phenotypes in Pancreatic Cancer by Transcriptional Regulation of the RhoC-ROCK1 Signaling Pathway. Mol Cancer Res 2017; 16:124-134. [PMID: 28928287 DOI: 10.1158/1541-7786.mcr-17-0256] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/13/2017] [Revised: 08/17/2017] [Accepted: 09/13/2017] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Hypoxia contributes to pancreatic cancer progression and promotes its growth and invasion. Previous research principally focused on hypoxia-inducible factor-1 alpha (HIF-1α) and HIF-2α (HIF1A and EPAS1) as the major hypoxia-associated transcription factors in pancreatic cancer. However, the role of HIF-3α (HIF3A) has not been investigated. Therefore, HIF-1α, HIF-2α, and HIF-3α expression levels were measured under normoxic and hypoxic conditions. In addition, HIF-3α expression was measured in human pancreatic cancer tissue specimens and the impact of altered HIF-3α expression on cell invasion and migration was investigated in vitro and in vivo, as well as the underlying mechanisms. Under hypoxic conditions, HIF-3α expression was stimulated in pancreatic cancer cells to a greater degree than HIF-1α and HIF-2α expression. HIF-3α protein levels were also elevated in pancreatic cancer tissues and correlated with reduced survival and greater local invasion and distant metastasis, whereas knockdown of HIF-3α, under hypoxic conditions, suppressed pancreatic cancer cell invasion and migration. Under normoxia, HIF-3α overexpression promoted pancreatic cancer cell invasion and migration and stimulated F-actin polymerization. In summary, HIF-3α promotes pancreatic cancer cell invasion and metastasis in vivo and promotes pancreatic cancer cell invasion and metastasis by transcriptionally activating the RhoC-ROCK1 signaling pathway.Implications: HIF3α is overexpressed in pancreatic cancer, and targeting the HIF3α/RhoC-ROCK1 signaling pathway may be a novel therapeutic approach for the treatment of pancreatic cancer invasion and metastasis. Mol Cancer Res; 16(1); 124-34. ©2017 AACR.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xianfei Zhou
- Department of Hepatic-Biliary-Pancreatic Surgery, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, China
- Department of Hepatic-Biliary-Pancreatic Surgery, Affiliated Hospital of Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang, China
| | - Xingjun Guo
- Department of Biliary-Pancreatic Surgery, Affiliated Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Meiyuan Chen
- Department of Hepatic-Biliary-Pancreatic Surgery, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, China
| | - Chencheng Xie
- Department of Internal Medicine, Sanford School of Medicine, University of South Dakota, Vermillion, South Dakota
| | - Jianxin Jiang
- Department of Hepatic-Biliary-Pancreatic Surgery, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, China.
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Digestive System Disease, Wuhan, China
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