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Roles for E-cadherin cell surface regulation in cancer
Petrova, Yuliya I.; Schecterson, Leslayann; Gumbiner, Barry M.
The loss of E-cadherin expression in association with the epithelial–mesenchymal transition (EMT) occurs frequently during tumor metastasis. However, metastases often retain E-cadherin expression, an EMT is not required for metastasis, and metastases can arise from clusters of tumor cells. We demonstrate that the regulation of the adhesive activity of E-cadherin present at the cell surface by an inside-out signaling mechanism is important in cancer. First, we find that the metastasis of an E-cadherin–expressing mammary cell line from the mammary gland to the lung depends on reduced E-cadherin adhesive function. An activating monoclonal antibody to E-cadherin that induces a high adhesive state significantly reduced the number of cells metastasized to the lung without affecting the growth in size of the primary tumor in the mammary gland. Second, we find that many cancer-associated germline missense mutations in the E-cadherin gene in patients with hereditary diffuse gastric cancer selectively affect the mechanism of inside-out cell surface regulation without inhibiting basic E-cadherin adhesion function. This suggests that genetic deficits in E-cadherin cell surface regulation contribute to cancer progression. Analysis of these mutations also provides insights into the molecular mechanisms underlying cadherin regulation at the cell surface. PMID:27582386
Transcriptional down-regulation of Brca1 and E-cadherin by CtBP1 in breast cancer.
Deng, Yu; Deng, Hui; Liu, Jing; Han, Gangwen; Malkoski, Stephen; Liu, Bolin; Zhao, Rui; Wang, Xiao-Jing; Zhang, Qinghong
Carboxyl-terminal binding protein 1 (CtBP1) is a transcriptional co-repressor with oncogenic potential. Immunohistochemistry staining using human breast cancer tissue arrays revealed that 92% of invasive ductal breast cancer cases have CtBP1-positive staining compared to 4% CtBP1-positive in normal breast tissue. To explore the functional impact of CtBP1 in breast cancer, we examined CtBP1's transcriptional regulation of known tumor suppressors, breast cancer susceptibility gene 1 (Brca1), and E-cadherin. We found CtBP1 was recruited to the promoter regions of Brca1 and E-cadherin genes in breast cancer cells. Concomitantly, Brca1 loss was detected in 57% and E-cadherin loss was detected in 76% of human invasive ductal breast cancers, and correlated with CtBP1 nuclear staining in these lesions. Importantly, siRNA knock down of CtBP1 restored Brca1 and E-cadherin expression in breast cancer cell lines, implying CtBP1 down-regulates Brca1 and E-cadherin genes in human breast cancer. This study provides evidence that although genetic loss of Brca1 and E-cadherin are infrequent in breast cancer, they are down-regulated at the transcriptional level by CtBP1 expression. Thus, CtBP1 activation could be a potential biomarker for breast cancer development.
E-Cadherin Mediates MMP Down-Regulation in Highly Invasive Bronchial Tumor Cells
Nawrocki-Raby, Béatrice; Gilles, Christine; Polette, Myriam; Martinella-Catusse, Corinne; Bonnet, Noël; Puchelle, Edith; Foidart, Jean-Michel; van Roy, Frans; Birembaut, Philippe
The disorganization of E-cadherin/catenin complexes and the overexpression of matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) are frequently involved in the capacity of epithelial cells to acquire an invasive phenotype. The functional link between E-cadherin and MMPs was studied by transfecting invasive bronchial BZR tumor cells with human E-cadherin cDNA. Using different in vitro (cell dispersion, modified Boyden chamber) and in vivo assays (human airway epithelial xenograft), we showed that E-cadherin-positive clones displayed a decrease of invasive abilities. As shown by immunoprecipitation, the re-expressed E-cadherin was able to sequestrate one part of free cytoplasmic β-catenin in BZR cells. The decrease of β-catenin transcriptional activity in E-cadherin-transfected clones was demonstrated using the TOP-FLASH reporter construct. Finally, we observed a decrease of MMP-1, MMP-3, MMP-9, and MT1-MMP, both at the mRNA and at the protein levels, in E-cadherin-positive clones whereas no changes in MMP-2, TIMP-1, or TIMP-2 were observed when compared with control clones. Moreover, zymography analysis revealed a loss of MMP-2 activation ability in E-cadherin-positive clones treated with the concanavalin A lectin. These data demonstrate a direct role of E-cadherin/catenin complex organization in the regulation of MMPs and suggest an implication of this regulation in the expression of an invasive phenotype by bronchial tumor cells. PMID:12875984
Amphiregulin induces human ovarian cancer cell invasion by down-regulating E-cadherin expression.
So, Wai-Kin; Fan, Qianlan; Lau, Man-Tat; Qiu, Xin; Cheng, Jung-Chien; Leung, Peter C K
Aberrant epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) activation is associated with ovarian cancer progression. In this study, we report that the EGFR ligand amphiregulin (AREG) stimulates cell invasion and down-regulates E-cadherin expression in two human ovarian cancer cell lines, SKOV3 and OVCAR5. In addition, AREG increases the expression of transcriptional repressors of E-cadherin including SNAIL, SLUG and ZEB1. siRNA targeting SNAIL or SLUG abolishes AREG-induced cell invasion. Moreover, ERK1/2 and AKT pathways are involved in AREG-induced E-cadherin down-regulation and cell invasion. Finally, we show that three EGFR ligands, AREG, epidermal growth factor (EGF) and transforming growth factor-α (TGF-α), exhibit comparable effects in down-regulating E-cadherin and promoting cell invasion. This study demonstrates that AREG induces ovarian cancer cell invasion by down-regulating E-cadherin expression.
Interaction of E-cadherin and PTEN regulates morphogenesis and growth arrest in human mammary epithelial cells
Fournier, Marcia V.; Fata, Jimmie E.; Martin, Katherine J.; Yaswen, Paul; Bissell, Mina J.
PTEN is a dual function phosphatase with tumor suppressor function compromised in a wide spectrum of cancers. Because tissue polarity and architecture are crucial modulators of normal and malignant behavior, we postulated that PTEN may play a role in maintenance of tissue integrity. We used two non-malignant human mammary epithelial cell lines (HMECs) that form polarized, growth-arrested structures (acini) when cultured in 3-dimensional laminin-rich extracellular matrix gels (3D lrECM). As acini begin to form, PTEN accumulates in both the cytoplasm, and at cell-cell contacts where it colocalizes with E-cadherin/{beta}-catenin complex. Reduction of PTEN levels by shRNA in lrECM prevents formation of organized breast acini and disrupts growth arrest. Importantly, disruption of acinar polarity and cell-cell contact by E-cadherin function-blocking antibodies reduces endogenous PTEN protein levels and inhibits its accumulation at cell-cell contacts. Conversely, in SKBR3 breast cancer cells lacking endogenous E-cadherin expression, exogenous introduction of E-cadherin gene causes induction of PTEN expression and its accumulation at sites of cell interactions. These studies provide evidence that E-cadherin regulates both the PTEN protein levels and its recruitment to cell-cell junctions in 3D lrECM indicating a dynamic reciprocity between architectural integrity and the levels and localization of PTEN. This interaction thus appears to be a critical integrator of proliferative and morphogenetic signaling in breast epithelial cells.
Sequential down-regulation of E-cadherin with squamous cell carcinoma progression: loss of E-cadherin via a prostaglandin E2-EP2 dependent posttranslational mechanism.
Brouxhon, Sabine; Kyrkanides, Stephanos; O'Banion, M Kerry; Johnson, Renee; Pearce, David A; Centola, Gina M; Miller, Jen-nie H; McGrath, Kieran H; Erdle, Brandon; Scott, Glynis; Schneider, Sandra; VanBuskirk, JoAnne; Pentland, Alice P
The incidence of skin cancer is on the rise, with over 1 million new cases yearly. Although it is known that squamous cell cancers (SCC) are caused by UV light, the mechanism(s) involved remains poorly understood. In vitro studies with epithelial cells or reports examining malignant skin lesions suggest that loss of E-cadherin-mediated cell-cell contacts may contribute to SCCs. Other studies show a pivotal role for cyclooxygenase-dependent prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) synthesis in this process. Using chronically UV-irradiated SKH-1 mice, we show a sequential loss of E-cadherin-mediated cell-cell contacts as lesions progress from dysplasia to SCCs. This E-cadherin down-regulation was also evident after acute UV exposure in vivo. In both chronic and acute UV injury, E-cadherin levels declined at a time when epidermal PGE2 synthesis was enhanced. Inhibition of PGE2 synthesis by indomethacin in vitro, targeted deletion of EP2 in primary mouse keratinocyte (PMK) cultures or deletion of the EP2 receptor in vivo abrogated this UV-induced E-cadherin down-regulation. In contrast, addition of PGE2 or the EP2 receptor agonist butaprost to PMK produced a dose- and time-dependent decrease in E-cadherin. We also show that UV irradiation, via the PGE2-EP2 signaling pathway, may initiate tumorigenesis in keratinocytes by down-regulating E-cadherin-mediated cell-cell contacts through its mobilization away from the cell membrane, internalization into the cytoplasm, and shuttling through the lysosome and proteasome degradation pathways. Further understanding of how UV-PGE2-EP2 down-regulates E-cadherin may lead to novel chemopreventative strategies for the treatment of skin and other epithelial cancers.
Down-regulation of E-cadherin in human bronchial epithelial cells leads to epidermal growth factor receptor-dependent Th2 cell-promoting activity.
Heijink, Irene H; Kies, P Marcel; Kauffman, Henk F; Postma, Dirkje S; van Oosterhout, Antoon J M; Vellenga, Edo
Airway epithelial cells are well-known producers of thymus- and activation-regulated chemokine (TARC), a Th2 cell-attracting chemokine that may play an important role in the development of allergic airway inflammation. However, the mechanism responsible for up-regulation of TARC in allergy is still unknown. In the asthmatic airways, loss of expression of the cell-cell contact molecule E-cadherin and reduced epithelial barrier function has been observed, which may be the result of an inadequate repair response. Because E-cadherin also suppressed multiple signaling pathways, we studied whether disruption of E-cadherin-mediated cell contact may contribute to increased proallergic activity of epithelial cells, e.g., production of the chemokine TARC. We down-regulated E-cadherin in bronchial epithelial cells by small interference RNA and studied effects on electrical resistance, signaling pathways, and TARC expression (by electric cell-substrate impedance sensing, immunodetection, immunofluorescent staining, and real-time PCR). Small interference RNA silencing of E-cadherin resulted in loss of E-cadherin-mediated junctions, enhanced phosphorylation of epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR), and the downstream targets MEK/ERK-1/2 and p38 MAPK, finally resulting in up-regulation of TARC as well as thymic stromal lymphopoietin expression. The use of specific inhibitors revealed that the effect on TARC is mediated by EGFR-dependent activation of the MAPK pathways. In contrast to TARC, expression of the Th1/Treg cell-attracting chemokine RANTES was unaffected by E-cadherin down-regulation. In summary, we show that loss of E-cadherin-mediated epithelial cell-cell contact by damaging stimuli, e.g., allergens, may result in reduced suppression of EGFR-dependent signaling pathways and subsequent induction of Th2 cell-attracting molecule TARC. Thus, disruption of intercellular epithelial contacts may specifically promote Th2 cell recruitment in allergic asthma.
Polycystin-1 and Gα12 regulate the cleavage of E-cadherin in kidney epithelial cells.
Xu, Jen X; Lu, Tzong-Shi; Li, Suyan; Wu, Yong; Ding, Lai; Denker, Bradley M; Bonventre, Joseph V; Kong, Tianqing
Interaction of polycystin-1 (PC1) and Gα12 is important for development of kidney cysts in autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease (ADPKD). The integrity of cell polarity and cell-cell adhesions (mainly E-cadherin-mediated adherens junction) is altered in the renal epithelial cells of ADPKD. However, the key signaling pathway for this alteration is not fully understood. Madin-Darby canine kidney (MDCK) cells maintain the normal integrity of epithelial cell polarity and adherens junctions. Here, we found that deletion of Pkd1 increased activation of Gα12, which then promoted the cystogenesis of MDCK cells. The morphology of these cells was altered after the activation of Gα12. By using liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry, we found several proteins that could be related this change in the extracellular milieu. E-cadherin was one of the most abundant peptides after active Gα12 was induced. Gα12 activation or Pkd1 deletion increased the shedding of E-cadherin, which was mediated via increased ADAM10 activity. The increased shedding of E-cadherin was blocked by knockdown of ADAM10 or specific ADAM10 inhibitor GI254023X. Pkd1 deletion or Gα12 activation also changed the distribution of E-cadherin in kidney epithelial cells and caused β-catenin to shift from cell membrane to nucleus. Finally, ADAM10 inhibitor, GI254023X, blocked the cystogenesis induced by PC1 knockdown or Gα12 activation in renal epithelial cells. Our results demonstrate that the E-cadherin/β-catenin signaling pathway is regulated by PC1 and Gα12 via ADAM10. Specific inhibition of this pathway, especially ADAM10 activity, could be a novel therapeutic regimen for ADPKD.
Polycystin-1 and Gα12 regulate the cleavage of E-cadherin in kidney epithelial cells
Xu, Jen X.; Lu, Tzong-Shi; Li, Suyan; Wu, Yong; Ding, Lai; Denker, Bradley M.; Bonventre, Joseph V.
Interaction of polycystin-1 (PC1) and Gα12 is important for development of kidney cysts in autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease (ADPKD). The integrity of cell polarity and cell-cell adhesions (mainly E-cadherin-mediated adherens junction) is altered in the renal epithelial cells of ADPKD. However, the key signaling pathway for this alteration is not fully understood. Madin-Darby canine kidney (MDCK) cells maintain the normal integrity of epithelial cell polarity and adherens junctions. Here, we found that deletion of Pkd1 increased activation of Gα12, which then promoted the cystogenesis of MDCK cells. The morphology of these cells was altered after the activation of Gα12. By using liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry, we found several proteins that could be related this change in the extracellular milieu. E-cadherin was one of the most abundant peptides after active Gα12 was induced. Gα12 activation or Pkd1 deletion increased the shedding of E-cadherin, which was mediated via increased ADAM10 activity. The increased shedding of E-cadherin was blocked by knockdown of ADAM10 or specific ADAM10 inhibitor GI254023X. Pkd1 deletion or Gα12 activation also changed the distribution of E-cadherin in kidney epithelial cells and caused β-catenin to shift from cell membrane to nucleus. Finally, ADAM10 inhibitor, GI254023X, blocked the cystogenesis induced by PC1 knockdown or Gα12 activation in renal epithelial cells. Our results demonstrate that the E-cadherin/β-catenin signaling pathway is regulated by PC1 and Gα12 via ADAM10. Specific inhibition of this pathway, especially ADAM10 activity, could be a novel therapeutic regimen for ADPKD. PMID:25492927
Oncogenic STRAP functions as a novel negative regulator of E-cadherin and p21(Cip1) by modulating the transcription factor Sp1.
Jin, Lin; Datta, Pran K
We have previously reported the identification of a novel WD-domain protein, STRAP that plays a role in maintenance of mesenchymal morphology by regulating E-cadherin and that enhances tumorigenicity partly by downregulating CDK inhibitor p21(Cip1). However, the functional mechanism of regulation of E-cadherin and p21(Cip1) by STRAP is unknown. Here, we have employed STRAP knock out and knockdown cell models (mouse embryonic fibroblast, human cancer cell lines) to show how STRAP downregulates E-cadherin and p21(Cip1) by abrogating the binding of Sp1 to its consensus binding sites. Moreover, ChIP assays suggest that STRAP recruits HDAC1 to Sp1 binding sites in p21(Cip1) promoter. Interestingly, loss of STRAP can stabilize Sp1 by repressing its ubiquitination in G1 phase, resulting in an enhanced expression of p21(Cip1) by >4.5-fold and cell cycle arrest. Using Bioinformatics and Microarray analyses, we have observed that 87% mouse genes downregulated by STRAP have conserved Sp1 binding sites. In NSCLC, the expression levels of STRAP inversely correlated with that of Sp1 (60%). These results suggest a novel mechanism of regulation of E-cadherin and p21(Cip1) by STRAP by modulating Sp1-dependent transcription, and higher expression of STRAP in lung cancer may contribute to downregulation of E-cadherin and p21(Cip1) and to tumor progression.
Pdx1 regulates pancreas tubulogenesis and E-cadherin expression
Marty-Santos, Leilani; Cleaver, Ondine
Current efforts in developing treatments for diabetes focus on in vitro generation of functional β-cells for cell replacement therapies; however, these attempts have only been partly successful because factors involved in islet formation remain incompletely understood. The embryonic pancreas, which gives rise to β-cells, undergoes early epithelial rearrangements, including transient stratification of an initially monolayered epithelium, followed by microlumen formation and later resolution into branches. Within the epithelium, a multipotent progenitor cell (MPC) population is specified, giving rise to three important lineages: acinar, ductal and endocrine. Pdx1 is a transcription factor required for pancreas development and lineage specification; however, few Pdx1 targets that regulate pancreatogenesis have been identified. We find that pancreatic defects in Pdx1−/− embryos initiate at the time when the progenitor pool is specified and the epithelium should resolve into branches. Pdx1−/− microlumen diameters expand aberrantly, resulting in failure of epithelial tubulogenesis and ductal plexus formation. Pdx1−/− epithelial cell proliferation is decreased and the MPC pool is rapidly lost. We identify two conserved Pdx1 binding sites in the epithelial cadherin (E-cad, Cdh1) promoter, and show that Pdx1 directly binds and activates E-cad transcription. In addition, Pdx1 is required in vivo for maintenance of E-cad expression, actomyosin complex activity and cell shape. These findings demonstrate a novel link between regulators of epithelial architecture, specification of pancreatic cell fate and organogenesis. PMID:26657766
Dehydropeptidase 1 promotes metastasis through regulation of E-cadherin expression in colon cancer
Park, Sang Yoon; Lee, Seon-Jin; Cho, Hee Jun; Kim, Tae Woo; Kim, Jong-Tae; Kim, Jae Wha; Lee, Chul-Ho; Kim, Bo-Yeon; Yeom, Young Il; Lim, Jong-Seok; Lee, Younghee; Lee, Hee Gu
Dehydropeptidase 1 (DPEP1) is a zinc-dependent metalloproteinase that is expressed aberrantly in several cancers. The role of DPEP1 in cancer remain controversial. In this study, we demonstrate that DPEP1 functions as a positive regulator for colon cancer cell metastasis. The expression of DPEP1 mRNA and proteins were upregulated in colon cancer tissues compared to normal mucosa. Gain-of-function and loss-of-function approaches were used to examine the malignant phenotype of DPEP1-expressing or DPEP1-depleted cells. DPEP1 expression caused a significant increase in colon cancer cell adhesion and invasion in vitro, and metastasis in vivo. In contrast, DPEP1 depletion induced opposite effects. Furthermore, cilastatin, a DPEP1 inhibitor, suppressed the invasion and metastasis of DPEP1-expressing cells. DPEP1 inhibited the leukotriene D4 signaling pathway and increased the expression of E-cadherin. We also show that DPEP1 mediates TGF-β-induced EMT. TGF-β transcriptionally repressed DPEP1 expression. TGF-β treatment decreased E-cadherin expression and promoted cell invasion in DPEP1-expressing colon cancer cell lines, whereas it did not affect these parameters in DPEP1-depleted cell lines. These results suggest that DPEP1 promotes cancer metastasis by regulating E-cadherin plasticity and that it might be a potential therapeutic target for preventing the progression of colon cancer. PMID:26824987
PI3K/AKT pathway regulates E-cadherin and Desmoglein 2 in aggressive prostate cancer.
Barber, Alison G; Castillo-Martin, Mireia; Bonal, Dennis M; Jia, Angela J; Rybicki, Benjamin A; Christiano, Angela M; Cordon-Cardo, Carlos
Reduced expression of both classical and desmosomal cadherins has been associated with different types of carcinomas, including prostate cancer. This study aims to provide a comprehensive view of the role and regulation of cell-cell adhesion in prostate cancer aggressiveness by examining the functional implications of both E-cadherin and Desmoglein 2 (DSG2). E-cadherin expression was first examined using immunofluorescence in 50 normal prostate tissues and in a cohort of 414 prostate cancer patients. Correlation and survival analyses were performed to assess its clinical significance. In primary prostate cancer patients, reduced expression of both E-cadherin and DSG2 is significantly associated with an earlier biochemical recurrence. Transgenic DU145 E-cadherin knockdown and constitutively active AKT overexpression lines were generated. Functional implications of such genetic alterations were analyzed in vitro and in vivo, the latter by using tumorigenesis as well as extravasation and metastatic tumor formation assays. We observed that loss of E-cadherin leads to impaired primary and metastatic tumor formation in vivo, suggesting a tumor promoter role for E-cadherin in addition to its known role as a tumor suppressor. Activation of AKT leads to a significant reduction in E-cadherin expression and nuclear localization of Snail, suggesting a role for the PI3K/AKT signaling pathway in the transient repression of E-cadherin. This reduced expression may be regulated by separate mechanisms as neither the loss of E-cadherin nor activation of AKT significantly affected DSG2 expression. In conclusion, these findings illustrate the critical role of cell-cell adhesion in the progression to aggressive prostate cancer, through regulation by the PI3K pathway.
Hedgehog signaling regulates E-cadherin expression for the maintenance of the actin cytoskeleton and tight junctions
Xiao, Chang; Ogle, Sally A.; Schumacher, Michael A.; Schilling, Neal; Tokhunts, Robert A.; Orr-Asman, Melissa A.; Miller, Marian L.; Robbins, David J.; Hollande, Frederic
In the stomach, strictly regulated cell adherens junctions are crucial in determining epithelial cell differentiation. Sonic Hedgehog (Shh) regulates epithelial cell differentiation in the adult stomach. We sought to identify whether Shh plays a role in regulating adherens junction protein E-cadherin as a mechanism for epithelial cell differentiation. Mouse nontumorigenic gastric epithelial (IMGE-5) cells treated with Hedgehog signaling inhibitor cyclopamine and anti-Shh 5E1 antibody or transduced with short hairpin RNA against Skinny Hedgehog (IMGE-5Ski) were cultured. A mouse model expressing a parietal cell-specific deletion of Shh (HKCre/ShhKO) was used to identify further changes in adherens and tight junctions. Inhibition of Hedgehog signaling in IMGE-5 cells caused loss of E-cadherin expression accompanied by disruption of F-actin cortical expression and relocalization of zonula occludens-1 (ZO-1). Loss of E-cadherin was also associated with increased proliferation in IMGE-5Ski cells and increased expression of the mucous neck cell lineage marker MUC6. Compared with membrane-expressed E-cadherin and ZO-1 protein in controls, dissociation of E-cadherin/β-catenin and ZO-1/occludin protein complexes was observed in HKCre/ShhKO mice. In conclusion, we demonstrate that Hedgehog signaling regulates E-cadherin expression that is required for the maintenance of F-actin cortical expression and stability of tight junction protein ZO-1. PMID:20847300
Establishment of an ovarian metastasis model and possible involvement of E-cadherin down-regulation in the metastasis.
Kuwabara, Yoshiko; Yamada, Taketo; Yamazaki, Ken; Du, Wen-Lin; Banno, Kouji; Aoki, Daisuke; Sakamoto, Michiie
Clinical observations of cases of ovarian metastasis suggest that there may be a unique mechanism underlying ovarian-specific metastasis. This study was undertaken to establish an in vivo model of metastasis to the ovary, and to investigate the mechanism of ovarian-specific metastasis. We examined the capacity for ovarian metastasis in eight different human carcinoma cell lines by implantation in female NOD/SCID mice transvenously and intraperitoneally. By transvenous inoculation, only RERF-LC-AI, a poorly differentiated carcinoma cell line, frequently demonstrated ovarian metastasis. By intraperitoneal inoculation, four of the eight cell lines (HGC27, MKN-45, KATO-III, and RERF-LC-AI) metastasized to the ovary. We compared E-cadherin expression among ovarian metastatic cell lines and others. All of these four ovarian metastatic cell lines and HSKTC, a Krukenberg tumor cell line, showed E-cadherin down-regulation and others did not. E-cadherin was then forcibly expressed in RERF-LC-AI, and inhibited ovarian metastasis completely. The capacity for metastasizing to the other organs was not affected by E-cadherin expression. We also performed histological investigation of clinical ovarian-metastatic tumor cases. About half of all ovarian-metastatic tumor cases showed loss or reduction of E-cadherin expression. These data suggest that E-cadherin down-regulation may be involved in ovarian-specific metastasis.
HER2 mediates epidermal growth factor-induced down-regulation of E-cadherin in human ovarian cancer cells.
Cheng, Jung-Chien; Qiu, Xin; Chang, Hsun-Ming; Leung, Peter C K
Overexpression of HER2 is correlated with a poor prognosis in many types of human cancers. Due to the interaction between HER2 and other ErbB receptors, HER2 is implicated in the EGF family of ligands-regulated tumor progression. In ovarian cancer, although the relationships between HER2 amplification and patient prognosis remain controversial, the underlying molecular mechanisms of HER2-mediated tumor progression are not fully understood. Our previous studies demonstrated that EGF induces ovarian cancer cell invasion by down-regulating E-cadherin expression through the up-regulation of its transcriptional repressors, Snail and Slug. It has been shown that overexpression of HER2 down-regulates E-cadherin expression in human mammary epithelial cells. However, whether HER2 mediates EGF-induced down-regulation of E-cadherin remains unknown. In this study, we examined the potential role of HER2 in EGF-induced down-regulation of E-cadherin and increased cell invasion. We show that EGF treatment induces the interaction of EGFR with HER2 and increases the activation of HER2 in human ovarian cancer cells; we also show that these effects are diminished by knockdown of EGFR. Importantly, treatment with HER2-specific tyrosine kinase inhibitor, AG825, and HER2 siRNA diminished the up-regulation of Snail and Slug as well as the down-regulation of E-cadherin by EGF. Finally, we also show that EGF-induced cell invasion was attenuated by treatment with HER2 siRNA. This study demonstrates an important role for HER2 in mediating the effects of EGF on Snail, Slug and E-cadherin expression as well as invasiveness in human ovarian cancer cells.
Posttranslational modification of E-cadherin by core fucosylation regulates Src activation and induces epithelial-mesenchymal transition-like process in lung cancer cells.
Shao, Kang; Chen, Zhong Yi; Gautam, Suraj; Deng, Nian Hui; Zhou, You; Wu, Xing Zhong
E-cadherin is often dysregulated in aggressive lung cancer, the mechanism of which cannot always be explained at the level of transcription. In 66 patients with lung cancer, immunohistochemical staining demonstrated that co-localization of E-cadherin and core fucose by Lens culinaris agglutinin was significantly less extensive in tumor than in nontumor tissue. Through gain and loss of fucosylation experiments in the giant lung carcinoma cell lines 95C and 95D, our results revealed that E-cadherin core fucosylation in 95C cells overexpressing α-1, 6-fucosyltransferase (Fut8) inhibited Fut8-95C cell migration, whereas knockdown of Fut8 in 95D cells enhanced migration of short-interfering RNA-targeting Fut8 (siFut8)-95D cells. The level of active Src (phosphorylated Src [Y416]) was significantly reduced in Fut8-95C cells, but elevated in siFut8-95D cells. In protein complexes immunoprecipitated from Fut8-95C cell lysates with anti-E-cadherin, less phosphorylated Src (Y416) and more β-catenin were observed, but immunoprecipitates from siFut8-95D cells, containing less core fucosylated E-cadherin, contained an elevated level of phospho-Src Y416. In Fut8-95C cells, phosphorylation of Akt (Y315, Y326) and GSK-3β (S9) was significantly reduced, but β-catenin (S37) phosphorylation was enhanced. Expression of N-cadherin and Snail1 was also reduced in Fut8-95C cells, but significantly increased in siFut8-95D cells. Intriguingly, when Src kinase activity was inhibited by treatment of cells with PP2 and SU6656, regulation of N-cadherin, Snail1 and cell migration by E-cadherin core fucosylation was abrogated in both Fut8-95C and siFut8-95D cells. Therefore, posttranslational modification of E-cadherin by less core fucosylation recruited and activated Src, and induced an epithelial-mesenchymal transition-like process in lung cancer cells.
Arf6 regulates EGF-induced internalization of E-cadherin in breast cancer cells.
Xu, Rui; Zhang, Yujie; Gu, Luo; Zheng, Jianchao; Cui, Jie; Dong, Jing; Du, Jun
E-cadherin internalization facilitates dissolution of adherens junctions and promotes tumor cell epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) and migration. Our previous results have shown that Arf6 exerts pro-migratory action in breast cancer cells after EGF stimulation. Despite the fact that EGF signaling stimulates EMT of breast cancer cells, the effect of Arf6 on internalization of E-cadherin of breast cancer cells under EGF treatment remains to be determined. Here, we showed that EGF dose-dependently stimulated E-cadherin internalization by MCF-7 cells with the maximal effect at 50 ng/ml. Meanwhile, EGF treatment markedly increased Arf6 activation. Arf6 was involved in complexes of E-cadherin, and more E-cadherin was pulled down with Arf6 when the activity of the latter was increased. Immunoblotting and immunofluorescence assays showed that transfection breast cancer cells with Arf6-T27N or Arf6 siRNA suppressed EGF-induced E-cadherin internalization. Taken together, our study demonstrated that Arf6 activation plays a potential role in EGF-induced E-cadherin internalization, providing new mechanism underlying the effect of Arf6 on promoting breast cancer cell metastasis.
Intravital FRAP Imaging using an E-cadherin-GFP Mouse Reveals Disease- and Drug-Dependent Dynamic Regulation of Cell-Cell Junctions in Live Tissue
Erami, Zahra; Herrmann, David; Warren, Sean C.; Nobis, Max; McGhee, Ewan J.; Lucas, Morghan C.; Leung, Wilfred; Reischmann, Nadine; Mrowinska, Agata; Schwarz, Juliane P.; Kadir, Shereen; Conway, James R.W.; Vennin, Claire; Karim, Saadia A.; Campbell, Andrew D.; Gallego-Ortega, David; Magenau, Astrid; Murphy, Kendelle J.; Ridgway, Rachel A.; Law, Andrew M.; Walters, Stacey N.; Grey, Shane T.; Croucher, David R.; Zhang, Lei; Herzog, Herbert; Hardeman, Edna C.; Gunning, Peter W.; Ormandy, Christopher J.; Evans, T.R. Jeffry; Strathdee, Douglas; Sansom, Owen J.; Morton, Jennifer P.; Anderson, Kurt I.; Timpson, Paul
Summary E-cadherin-mediated cell-cell junctions play a prominent role in maintaining the epithelial architecture. The disruption or deregulation of these adhesions in cancer can lead to the collapse of tumor epithelia that precedes invasion and subsequent metastasis. Here we generated an E-cadherin-GFP mouse that enables intravital photobleaching and quantification of E-cadherin mobility in live tissue without affecting normal biology. We demonstrate the broad applications of this mouse by examining E-cadherin regulation in multiple tissues, including mammary, brain, liver, and kidney tissue, while specifically monitoring E-cadherin mobility during disease progression in the pancreas. We assess E-cadherin stability in native pancreatic tissue upon genetic manipulation involving Kras and p53 or in response to anti-invasive drug treatment and gain insights into the dynamic remodeling of E-cadherin during in situ cancer progression. FRAP in the E-cadherin-GFP mouse, therefore, promises to be a valuable tool to fundamentally expand our understanding of E-cadherin-mediated events in native microenvironments. PMID:26725115
Glycogen Synthase Kinase 3 (GSK-3) influences epithelial barrier function by regulating Occludin, Claudin-1 and E-cadherin expression
Severson, Eric A.; Kwon, Mike; Hilgarth, Roland S; Parkos, Charles A.; Nusrat, Asma
The apical junctional complex (AJC) encompassing the tight junction (TJ) and adherens junction (AJ) plays a pivotal role in regulating epithelial barrier function and epithelial cell proliferative processes through signaling events that remain poorly characterized. A potential regulator of AJC protein expression is Glycogen Synthase Kinase-3 (GSK-3). GSK-3 is a constitutively active kinase that is repressed during epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT). In the present study, we report that GSK-3 activity regulates the structure and function of the AJC in polarized model intestinal (SK-CO15) and kidney (Madin-Darby Canine Kidney (MDCK)) epithelial cells. Reduction of GSK-3 activity, either by small molecule inhibitors or siRNA targeting GSK-3 alpha and beta mRNA, resulted in increased permeability to both ions and bulk solutes. Immunofluorescence labeling and immunoblot analyses revealed that the barrier defects correlated with decreased protein expression of AJC transmembrane proteins Occludin, Claudin-1 and E-cadherin without influencing other TJ proteins, Zonula Occludens-1 (ZO-1) and Junctional Adhesion Molecule A (JAM-A). The decrease in Occludin and E-cadherin protein expression correlated with downregulation of the corresponding mRNA levels for these respective proteins following GSK-3 inhibition. These observations implicate an important role of GSK-3 in the regulation of the structure and function of the AJC that is mediated by differential modulation of mRNA transcription of key AJC proteins, Occludin, Claudin-1 and E-cadherin. PMID:20617560
Glycogen Synthase Kinase 3 (GSK-3) influences epithelial barrier function by regulating Occludin, Claudin-1 and E-cadherin expression
Severson, Eric A.; Kwon, Mike; Hilgarth, Roland S.; Parkos, Charles A.; Nusrat, Asma
The Apical Junctional Complex (AJC) encompassing the tight junction (TJ) and adherens junction (AJ) plays a pivotal role in regulating epithelial barrier function and epithelial cell proliferative processes through signaling events that remain poorly characterized. A potential regulator of AJC protein expression is Glycogen Synthase Kinase-3 (GSK-3). GSK-3 is a constitutively active kinase that is repressed during epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT). In the present study, we report that GSK-3 activity regulates the structure and function of the AJC in polarized model intestinal (SK-CO15) and kidney (Madin-Darby Canine Kidney (MDCK)) epithelial cells. Reduction of GSK-3 activity, either by small molecule inhibitors or siRNA targeting GSK-3 alpha and beta mRNA, resulted in increased permeability to both ions and bulk solutes. Immunofluorescence labeling and immunoblot analyses revealed that the barrier defects correlated with decreased protein expression of AJC transmembrane proteins Occludin, Claudin-1 and E-cadherin without influencing other TJ proteins, Zonula Occludens-1 (ZO-1) and Junctional Adhesion Molecule A (JAM-A). The decrease in Occludin and E-cadherin protein expression correlated with downregulation of the corresponding mRNA levels for these respective proteins following GSK-3 inhibition. These observations implicate an important role of GSK-3 in the regulation of the structure and function of the AJC that is mediated by differential modulation of mRNA transcription of key AJC proteins, Occludin, Claudin-1 and E-cadherin.
PC7 and the related proteases Furin and Pace4 regulate E-cadherin function during blastocyst formation.
Bessonnard, Sylvain; Mesnard, Daniel; Constam, Daniel B
The first cell differentiation in mammalian embryos segregates polarized trophectoderm cells from an apolar inner cell mass (ICM). This lineage decision is specified in compacted morulae by cell polarization and adhesion acting on the Yes-associated protein in the Hippo signaling pathway, but the regulatory mechanisms are unclear. We show that morula compaction and ICM formation depend on PC7 and the related proprotein convertases (PCs) Furin and Pace4 and that these proteases jointly regulate cell-cell adhesion mediated by E-cadherin processing. We also mapped the spatiotemporal activity profiles of these proteases by live imaging of a transgenic reporter substrate in wild-type and PC mutant embryos. Differential inhibition by a common inhibitor revealed that all three PCs are active in inner and outer cells, but in partially nonoverlapping compartments. E-cadherin processing by multiple PCs emerges as a novel mechanism to modulate cell-cell adhesion and fate allocation.
PC7 and the related proteases Furin and Pace4 regulate E-cadherin function during blastocyst formation
Mesnard, Daniel
The first cell differentiation in mammalian embryos segregates polarized trophectoderm cells from an apolar inner cell mass (ICM). This lineage decision is specified in compacted morulae by cell polarization and adhesion acting on the Yes-associated protein in the Hippo signaling pathway, but the regulatory mechanisms are unclear. We show that morula compaction and ICM formation depend on PC7 and the related proprotein convertases (PCs) Furin and Pace4 and that these proteases jointly regulate cell–cell adhesion mediated by E-cadherin processing. We also mapped the spatiotemporal activity profiles of these proteases by live imaging of a transgenic reporter substrate in wild-type and PC mutant embryos. Differential inhibition by a common inhibitor revealed that all three PCs are active in inner and outer cells, but in partially nonoverlapping compartments. E-cadherin processing by multiple PCs emerges as a novel mechanism to modulate cell–cell adhesion and fate allocation. PMID:26416966
Regulation of connexin 43-mediated gap junctional intercellular communication by Ca2+ in mouse epidermal cells is controlled by E- cadherin
Gap junctional intercellular communication (GJIC) of cultured mouse epidermal cells is mediated by a gap junction protein, connexin 43, and is dependent on the calcium concentration in the medium, with higher GJIC in a high-calcium (1.2 mM) medium. In several mouse epidermal cell lines, we found a good correlation between the level of GJIC and that of immunohistochemical staining of E-cadherin, a calcium-dependent cell adhesion molecule, at cell-cell contact areas. The variant cell line P3/22 showed both low GJIC and E-cadherin protein expression in low- and high-Ca2+ media. P3/22 cells showed very low E-cadherin mRNA expression. To test directly whether E-cadherin is involved in the Ca(2+)-dependent regulation of GJIC, we transfected the E-cadherin expression vector into P3/22 cells and obtained several stable clones which expressed high levels of E-cadherin mRNA. All transfectants expressed E-cadherin molecules at cell-cell contact areas in a calcium- dependent manner. GJIC was also observed in these transfectants and was calcium dependent. These results suggest that Ca(2+)-dependent regulation of GJIC in mouse epidermal cells is directly controlled by a calcium-dependent cell adhesion molecule, E-cadherin. Furthermore, several lines of evidence suggest that GJIC control by E-cadherin involves posttranslational regulation (assembly and/or function) of the gap junction protein connexin 43. PMID:1650371
Transforming growth factor-α induces human ovarian cancer cell invasion by down-regulating E-cadherin in a Snail-independent manner.
Qiu, Xin; Cheng, Jung-Chien; Klausen, Christian; Fan, Qianlan; Chang, Hsun-Ming; So, Wai-Kin; Leung, Peter C K
Transforming growth factor-α (TGF-α), like epidermal growth factor (EGF) and amphiregulin (AREG) binds exclusively to EGF receptor (EGFR). We have previously demonstrated that EGF, AREG and TGF-α down-regulate E-cadherin and induce ovarian cancer cell invasion, though whether these ligands use the same molecular mediators remains unknown. We now show that, like EGF, TGF-α- and AREG-induced E-cadherin down-regulation involves both EGFR and HER2. However, in contrast to EGF and AREG, the transcription factor Snail is not required for TGF-α-induced E-cadherin down-regulation. This study shows that TGF-α uses common and divergent molecular mediators to regulate E-cadherin expression and cell invasion.
O-mannosylation and N-glycosylation: two coordinated mechanisms regulating the tumour suppressor functions of E-cadherin in cancer
Bartels, Markus F.; Miyoshi, Eiji; Pierce, Michael; Taniguchi, Naoyuki; Carneiro, Fátima; Seruca, Raquel; Reis, Celso A.; Strahl, Sabine; Pinho, Salomé S.
Dysregulation of tumor suppressor protein E-cadherin is an early molecular event in cancer. O-mannosylation profile of E-cadherin is a newly-described post-translational modification crucial for its adhesive functions in homeostasis. However, the role of O-mannosyl glycans in E-cadherin-mediated cell adhesion in cancer and their interplay with N-glycans remains largely unknown. We herein demonstrated that human gastric carcinomas exhibiting a non-functional E-cadherin display a reduced expression of O-mannosyl glycans concomitantly with increased modification with branched complex N-glycans. Accordingly, overexpression of MGAT5-mediated branched N-glycans both in gastric cancer cells and transgenic mice models led to a significant decrease of O-mannosyl glycans attached to E-cadherin that was associated with impairment of its tumour suppressive functions. Importantly, overexpression of protein O-mannosyltransferase 2 (POMT2) induced a reduced expression of branched N-glycans which led to a protective effect of E-cadherin biological functions. Overall, our results reveal a newly identified mechanism of (dys)regulation of E-cadherin that occur through the interplay between O-mannosylation and N-glycosylation pathway. PMID:27533452
O-mannosylation and N-glycosylation: two coordinated mechanisms regulating the tumour suppressor functions of E-cadherin in cancer.
Carvalho, Sandra; Oliveira, Tiago; Bartels, Markus F; Miyoshi, Eiji; Pierce, Michael; Taniguchi, Naoyuki; Carneiro, Fátima; Seruca, Raquel; Reis, Celso A; Strahl, Sabine; Pinho, Salomé S
Dysregulation of tumor suppressor protein E-cadherin is an early molecular event in cancer. O-mannosylation profile of E-cadherin is a newly-described post-translational modification crucial for its adhesive functions in homeostasis. However, the role of O-mannosyl glycans in E-cadherin-mediated cell adhesion in cancer and their interplay with N-glycans remains largely unknown. We herein demonstrated that human gastric carcinomas exhibiting a non-functional E-cadherin display a reduced expression of O-mannosyl glycans concomitantly with increased modification with branched complex N-glycans. Accordingly, overexpression of MGAT5-mediated branched N-glycans both in gastric cancer cells and transgenic mice models led to a significant decrease of O-mannosyl glycans attached to E-cadherin that was associated with impairment of its tumour suppressive functions. Importantly, overexpression of protein O-mannosyltransferase 2 (POMT2) induced a reduced expression of branched N-glycans which led to a protective effect of E-cadherin biological functions. Overall, our results reveal a newly identified mechanism of (dys)regulation of E-cadherin that occur through the interplay between O-mannosylation and N-glycosylation pathway.
Hydrogen peroxide mediates EGF-induced down-regulation of E-cadherin expression via p38 MAPK and snail in human ovarian cancer cells.
Cheng, Jung-Chien; Klausen, Christian; Leung, Peter C K
In ovarian cancer, it has been shown that E-cadherin is down-regulated by epidermal growth factor (EGF) receptor (EGFR) activation, and that cells with low E-cadherin expression are particularly invasive. Although it is generally believed that reactive oxygen species play important roles in intracellular signal transduction, the role of reactive oxygen species in EGF-mediated reductions in E-cadherin remains to be elucidated. In this study, we show that EGF treatment down-regulated E-cadherin by up-regulating its transcriptional repressors, Snail and Slug, in human ovarian cancer cells. Using 5-(and-6)-chloromethyl-2',7'-dichlorodihydrofluorescein diacetate acetyl ester staining, we found that intracellular hydrogen peroxide (H(2)O(2)) production was increased in EGF-treated cells and could be inhibited by treatment with an EGFR inhibitor, AG1478, or an H(2)O(2) scavenger, polyethylene glycol (PEG)-catalase. In addition, PEG-catalase diminished EGF-induced p38 MAPK, but not ERK1/2 or c-Jun N-terminal kinase, phosphorylation. PEG-catalase and the p38 MAPK inhibitor SB203580 abolished EGF-induced Snail, but not Slug, expression and E-cadherin down-regulation. Furthermore, the involvement of p38 MAPK in the down-regulation of E-cadherin was confirmed using specific p38alpha MAPK small interfering RNA. Finally, we also show that EGF-induced cell invasion was abolished by treatment with PEG-catalase and SB203580, as well as p38alpha MAPK small interfering RNA, and that forced expression of E-cadherin diminished intrinsic invasiveness as well as EGF-induced cell invasion. This study demonstrates a novel mechanism in which EGF down-regulates E-cadherin expression through production of H(2)O(2), activation of p38 MAPK, and up-regulation of Snail in human ovarian cancer cells.
E-cadherin endocytosis regulates the activity of Rap1: a traffic light GTPase at the crossroads between cadherin and integrin function.
Balzac, Fiorella; Avolio, Maria; Degani, Simona; Kaverina, Irina; Torti, Mauro; Silengo, Lorenzo; Small, J Victor; Retta, Saverio Francesco
The coordinate modulation of cadherin and integrin functions plays an essential role in fundamental physiological and pathological processes, including morphogenesis and cancer. However, the molecular mechanisms underlying the functional crosstalk between cadherins and integrins are still elusive. Here, we demonstrate that the small GTPase Rap1, a crucial regulator of the inside-out activation of integrins, is a target for E-cadherin-mediated outside-in signaling. In particular, we show that a strong activation of Rap1 occurs upon adherens junction disassembly that is triggered by E-cadherin internalization and trafficking along the endocytic pathway. By contrast, Rap1 activity is not influenced by integrin outside-in signaling. Furthermore, we demonstrate that the E-cadherin endocytosis-dependent activation of Rap1 is associated with and controlled by an increased Src kinase activity, and is paralleled by the colocalization of Rap1 and E-cadherin at the perinuclear Rab11-positive recycling endosome compartment, and the association of Rap1 with a subset of E-cadherin-catenin complexes that does not contain p120ctn. Conversely, Rap1 activity is suppressed by the formation of E-cadherin-dependent cell-cell junctions as well as by agents that inhibit either Src activity or E-cadherin internalization and intracellular trafficking. Finally, we demonstrate that the E-cadherin endocytosis-dependent activation of Rap1 is associated with and is required for the formation of integrin-based focal adhesions. Our findings provide the first evidence of an E-cadherin-modulated endosomal signaling pathway involving Rap1, and suggest that cadherins may have a novel modulatory role in integrin adhesive functions by fine-tuning Rap1 activation.
The N-Myc down regulated Gene1 (NDRG1) Is a Rab4a effector involved in vesicular recycling of E-cadherin.
Kachhap, Sushant K; Faith, Dennis; Qian, David Z; Shabbeer, Shabana; Galloway, Nathan L; Pili, Roberto; Denmeade, Samuel R; DeMarzo, Angelo M; Carducci, Michael A
Cell to cell adhesion is mediated by adhesion molecules present on the cell surface. Downregulation of molecules that form the adhesion complex is a characteristic of metastatic cancer cells. Downregulation of the N-myc down regulated gene1 (NDRG1) increases prostate and breast metastasis. The exact function of NDRG1 is not known. Here by using live cell confocal microscopy and in vitro reconstitution, we report that NDRG1 is involved in recycling the adhesion molecule E-cadherin thereby stabilizing it. Evidence is provided that NDRG1 recruits on recycling endosomes in the Trans Golgi network by binding to phosphotidylinositol 4-phosphate and interacts with membrane bound Rab4aGTPase. NDRG1 specifically interacts with constitutively active Rab4aQ67L mutant protein and not with GDP-bound Rab4aS22N mutant proving NDRG1 as a novel Rab4a effector. Transferrin recycling experiments reveals NDRG1 colocalizes with transferrin during the recycling phase. NDRG1 alters the kinetics of transferrin recycling in cells. NDRG1 knockdown cells show a delay in recycling transferrin, conversely NDRG1 overexpressing cells reveal an increase in rate of transferrin recycling. This novel finding of NDRG1 as a recycling protein involved with recycling of E-cadherin will aid in understanding NDRG1 role as a metastasis suppressor protein.
Hypoxia-inducible factor 1 alpha mediates epidermal growth factor-induced down-regulation of E-cadherin expression and cell invasion in human ovarian cancer cells.
Cheng, Jung-Chien; Klausen, Christian; Leung, Peter C K
Hypoxia-inducible factor 1α (HIF-1α) regulates the transcription of a number of genes under hypoxia and other extracellular stimulations. It has been shown that E-cadherin is down-regulated by epidermal growth factor receptor (EGF) stimulation, and that cells with low E-cadherin expression are more invasive. Our recent study demonstrated a novel mechanism by which EGF down-regulates E-cadherin expression through production of hydrogen peroxide (H(2)O(2)) and the activation of p38 MAPK in human ovarian cancer cells. In this study, we were interested in examining the potential role of HIF-1α in cell invasion under normoxic conditions, specifically when cells are treated with EGF, which is known to down-regulate E-cadherin and increase invasiveness. We show that EGF treatment induces HIF-1α expression in two human ovarian cancer cell lines (SKOV3 and OVCAR5), and that this effect is diminished by treatment with a membrane-permeable H(2)O(2) scavenger, PEG-catalase. However, the induction of HIF-1α by EGF did not require the activation of p38 MAPK. Treatment with siRNA targeting HIF-1α reduces both basal and EGF-induced HIF-1α levels. Importantly, treatment with HIF-1α siRNA diminishes the up-regulation of Snail and Slug as well as the down-regulation of E-cadherin by EGF. The involvement of HIF-1α in the down-regulation of E-cadherin was confirmed with cobalt chloride (CoCl(2)), a hypoxia-mimetic reagent. Finally, we also show that EGF-induced cell invasion is attenuated by treatment with HIF-1α siRNA. This study demonstrates an important role for HIF-1α in mediating the effects of EGF on Snail, Slug and E-cadherin expression as well as invasiveness in human ovarian cancer cells.
Celastrol inhibits TGF-β1-induced epithelial–mesenchymal transition by inhibiting Snail and regulating E-cadherin expression
Kang, Hyereen; Lee, Minjae; Jang, Sung-Wuk
Highlights: •We investigated the effects of celastrol on TGF-β1-induced EMT in epithelial cells. •Celastrol regulates TGF-β1-induced morphological changes and E-cadherin expression. •Celastrol inhibits TGF-β1-induced Snail expression. •Celastrol strongly suppresses TGF-β1-induced invasion in MDCK and A549 cells. -- Abstract: The epithelial–mesenchymal transition (EMT) is a pivotal event in the invasive and metastatic potentials of cancer progression. Celastrol inhibits the proliferation of a variety of tumor cells including leukemia, glioma, prostate, and breast cancer; however, the possible role of celastrol in the EMT is unclear. We investigated the effect of celastrol on the EMT. Transforming growth factor-beta 1 (TGF-β1) induced EMT-like morphologic changes and upregulation of Snail expression. The downregulation of E-cadherin expression and upregulation of Snail in Madin–Darby Canine Kidney (MDCK) and A549 cell lines show that TGF-β1-mediated the EMT in epithelial cells; however, celastrol markedly inhibited TGF-β1-induced morphologic changes, Snail upregulation, and E-cadherin expression. Migration and invasion assays revealed that celastrol completely inhibited TGF-β1-mediated cellular migration in both cell lines. These findings indicate that celastrol downregulates Snail expression, thereby inhibiting TGF-β1-induced EMT in MDCK and A549 cells. Thus, our findings provide new evidence that celastrol suppresses lung cancer invasion and migration by inhibiting TGF-β1-induced EMT.
Activin B promotes endometrial cancer cell migration by down-regulating E-cadherin via SMAD-independent MEK-ERK1/2-SNAIL signaling
Xiong, Siyuan; Klausen, Christian; Cheng, Jung-Chien; Leung, Peter C.K.
High-risk type II endometrial cancers account for ~30% of cases but ~75% of deaths due, in part, to their tendency to metastasize. Histopathological studies of type II endometrial cancers (non-endometrioid, mostly serous) suggest overproduction of activin B and down-regulation of E-cadherin, both of which are associated with reduced survival. Our previous studies have shown that activin B increases the migration of type II endometrial cancer cell lines. However, little is known about the relationship between activin B signaling and E-cadherin in endometrial cancer. We now demonstrate that activin B treatment significantly decreases E-cadherin expression in both a time- and concentration-dependent manner in KLE and HEC-50 cell lines. Interestingly, these effects were not inhibited by knockdown of SMAD2, SMAD3 or SMAD4. Rather, the suppressive effects of activin B on E-cadherin were mediated by MEK-ERK1/2-induced production of the transcription factor SNAIL. Importantly, activin B-induced cell migration was inhibited by forced-expression of E-cadherin or pre-treatment with the activin/TGF-β type I receptor inhibitor SB431542 or the MEK inhibitor U0126. We have identified a novel SMAD-independent pathway linking enhanced activin B signaling to reduced E-cadherin expression and increased migration in type II endometrial cancer. PMID:27223076
E-cadherin is required for caveolin-1-mediated down-regulation of the inhibitor of apoptosis protein survivin via reduced beta-catenin-Tcf/Lef-dependent transcription.
Torres, Vicente A; Tapia, Julio C; Rodriguez, Diego A; Lladser, Alvaro; Arredondo, Cristian; Leyton, Lisette; Quest, Andrew F G
Caveolin-1 reportedly acts as a tumor suppressor and promotes events associated with tumor progression, including metastasis. The molecular mechanisms underlying such radical differences in function are not understood. Recently, we showed that caveolin-1 inhibits expression of the inhibitor of apoptosis protein survivin via a transcriptional mechanism involving the beta-catenin-Tcf/Lef pathway. Surprisingly, while caveolin-1 expression decreased survivin mRNA and protein levels in HT29(ATCC) human colon cancer cells, this was not the case in metastatic HT29(US) cells. Survivin down-regulation was paralleled by coimmunoprecipitation and colocalization of caveolin-1 with beta-catenin in HT29(ATCC) but not HT29(US) cells. Unlike HT29(ATCC) cells, HT29(US) cells expressed small amounts of E-cadherin that accumulated in intracellular patches rather than at the cell surface. Re-expression of E-cadherin in HT29(US) cells restored the ability of caveolin-1 to down-regulate beta-catenin-Tcf/Lef-dependent transcription and survivin expression, as seen in HT29(ATCC) cells. In addition, coimmunoprecipitation and colocalization between caveolin-1 and beta-catenin increased upon E-cadherin expression in HT29(US) cells. In human embryonic kidney HEK293T and HT29(US) cells, caveolin-1 and E-cadherin cooperated in suppressing beta-catenin-Tcf/Lef-dependent transcription as well as survivin expression. Finally, mouse melanoma B16-F10 cells, another metastatic cell model with low endogenous caveolin-1 and E-cadherin levels, were characterized. In these cells, caveolin-1-mediated down-regulation of survivin in the presence of E-cadherin coincided with increased apoptosis. Thus, the absence of E-cadherin severely compromises the ability of caveolin-1 to develop activities potentially relevant to its role as a tumor suppressor.
Dynamic and Static Interactions between p120 Catenin and E-Cadherin Regulate the Stability of Cell-Cell Adhesion
Ishiyama, Noboru; Lee, Seung-Hye; Liu, Shuang; Li, Guang-Yao; Smith, Matthew J.; Reichardt, Louis F.; Ikura, Mitsuhiko
The association of p120 catenin (p120) with the juxtamembrane domain (JMD) of the cadherin cytoplasmic tail is critical for the surface stability of cadherin-catenin cell-cell adhesion complexes. Here, we present the crystal structure of p120 isoform 4A in complex with the JMD core region (JMD{sub core}) of E-cadherin. The p120 armadillo repeat domain contains modular binding pockets that are complementary to electrostatic and hydrophobic properties of the JMD{sub core}. Single-residue mutations within the JMD{sub core}-binding site of p120 abolished its interaction with E- and N-cadherins in vitro and in cultured cells. These mutations of p120 enabled us to clearly differentiate between N-cadherin-dependent and -independent steps of neuronal dendritic spine morphogenesis crucial for synapse development. NMR studies revealed that p120 regulates the stability of cadherin-mediated cell-cell adhesion by associating with the majority of the JMD, including residues implicated in clathrin-mediated endocytosis and Hakai-dependent ubiquitination of E-cadherin, through its discrete dynamic and static binding sites.
F-box protein complex FBXL19 regulates TGFβ1-induced E-cadherin down-regulation by mediating Rac3 ubiquitination and degradation
Background Rac3 is a small GTPase multifunctional protein that regulates cell adhesion, migration, and differentiation. It has been considered as an oncogene in breast cancer; however, its role in esophageal cancer and the regulation of its stability have not been studied. F-box proteins are major subunits within the Skp1-Cullin-1-F-box (SCF) E3 ubiquitin ligases that recognize particular substrates for ubiquitination and proteasomal degradation. Recently, we have shown that SCFFBXL19 targets Rac1 and RhoA, thus regulating Rac1 and RhoA ubiquitination and degradation. Here, we demonstrate the role of FBXL19 in the regulation of Rac3 site-specific ubiquitination and stability. Expression of TGFβ1 is associated with poor prognosis of esophageal cancer. TGFβ1 reduces tumor suppressor, E-cadherin, expression in various epithelial-derived cancers. Here we investigate the role of FBXL19-mediated Rac3 degradation in TGFβ1-induced E-cadherin down-regulation in esophageal cancer cells. Methods FBXL19-regulated endogenous and over-expressed Rac3 stability were determined by immunoblotting and co-immunoprecipitation. Esophageal cancer cells (OE19 and OE33) were used to investigate TGFβ1-induced E-cadherin down-regulation by Immunoblotting and Immunostaining. Results Overexpression of FBXL19 decreased endogenous and over-expressed Rac3 expression by interacting and polyubiquitinating Rac3, while down-regulation of FBXL19 suppressed Rac3 degradation. Lysine166 within Rac3 was identified as an ubiquitination acceptor site. The FBXL19 variant with truncation at the N-terminus resulted in an increase in Rac3 degradation; however, the FBXL19 variant with truncation at the C-terminus lost its ability to interact with Rac3 and ubiquitinate Rac3 protein. Further, we found that Rac3 plays a critical role in TGFβ1-induced E-cadherin down-regulation in esophageal cancer cells. Over-expression of FBXL19 attenuated TGFβ1-induced E-cadherin down-regulation and esophageal cancer cells
Roles of STAT3 and ZEB1 proteins in E-cadherin down-regulation and human colorectal cancer epithelial-mesenchymal transition.
Xiong, Hua; Hong, Jie; Du, Wan; Lin, Yan-wei; Ren, Lin-lin; Wang, Ying-chao; Su, Wen-yu; Wang, Ji-lin; Cui, Yun; Wang, Zhen-hua; Fang, Jing-Yuan
The progression of colorectal carcinoma (CRC) to invasive and metastatic disease may involve localized occurrences of epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT). However, mechanisms of the EMT process in CRC progression are not fully understood. We previously showed that knockdown of signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3) up-regulated E-cadherin (a key component in EMT progression) in CRC. In this study, we examined the roles of STAT3 in CRC EMT and ZEB1, an EMT inducer, in STAT3-induced down-regulation of E-cadherin. Knockdown of STAT3 significantly increased E-cadherin and decreased N-cadherin and vimentin expressions in highly invasive LoVo CRC cells. Meanwhile, overexpression of STAT3 significantly reduced E-cadherin and enhanced N-cadherin and vimentin expressions in weakly invasive SW1116 CRC cells. Activation of STAT3 significantly increased CRC cell invasiveness and resistance to apoptosis. Knockdown of STAT3 dramatically enhanced chemosensitivity of CRC cells to fluorouracil. STAT3 regulated ZEB1 expression in CRC cells, and the STAT3-induced decrease in E-cadherin and cell invasion depended on activation of ZEB1 in CRC cells. Additionally, pSTAT3(Tyr-705) and ZEB1 expressions were significantly correlated with TNM (tumor, lymph node, and metastasis stages) (p < 0.01). In conclusion, STAT3 may directly mediate EMT progression and regulate ZEB1 expression in CRC. ZEB1 may participate in STAT3-induced cell invasion and E-cadherin down-regulation in CRC cells. The expressions of pSTAT3(Tyr-705) and ZEB1 may be positively associated with CRC metastasis. Our data may provide potential targets to prevent and/or treat CRC invasion and metastasis.
Fyn mediates transforming growth factor-beta1-induced down-regulation of E-cadherin in human A549 lung cancer cells.
Kim, An Na; Jeon, Woo-Kwang; Lim, Kyu-Hyoung; Lee, Hui-Young; Kim, Woo Jin; Kim, Byung-Chul
Transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-β) signaling positively contributes to the regulation of tumor metastasis. However, the underlying molecular mechanisms are less well defined. We here show that Fyn, a member of Src family tyrosine kinases, plays a critical role in mediating TGF-β1-induced down-regulation of E-cadherin in human A549 lung cancer cells. Blockade of Fyn with siRNA knockdown or ligand-binding defective mutant significantly lowered the ability of TGF-β1 to repress E-cadherin expression. Furthermore, our results demonstrated that Fyn facilitates TGF-β1-mediated suppression of E-cadherin through p38 kinase-dependent induction of Snail. Collectively, our findings identify a Fyn-p38-Snail cascade as a new signaling pathway mediating oncogenic TGF-β function.
Down-regulation of MUC1 in cancer cells inhibits cell migration by promoting E-cadherin/catenin complex formation
Yuan Zhenglong; Wong, Sandy; Borrelli, Alexander; Chung, Maureen A.
MUC1, a tumor associated glycoprotein, is over-expressed in most cancers and can promote proliferation and metastasis. The objective of this research was to study the role of MUC1 in cancer metastasis and its potential mechanism. Pancreatic (PANC1) and breast (MCF-7) cancer cells with stable 'knockdown' of MUC1 expression were created using RNA interference. {beta}-Catenin and E-cadherin protein expression were upregulated in PANC1 and MCF-7 cells with decreased MUC1 expression. Downregulation of MUC1 expression also induced {beta}-catenin relocation from the nucleus to the cytoplasm, increased E-cadherin/{beta}-catenin complex formation and E-cadherin membrane localization in PANC1 cells. PANC1 cells with 'knockdown' MUC1 expression had decreased in vitro cell invasion. This study suggested that MUC1 may affect cancer cell migration by increasing E-cadherin/{beta}-catenin complex formation and restoring E-cadherin membrane localization.
Down-regulation of MUC1 in cancer cells inhibits cell migration by promoting E-cadherin/catenin complex formation.
Yuan, Zhenglong; Wong, Sandy; Borrelli, Alexander; Chung, Maureen A
MUC1, a tumor associated glycoprotein, is over-expressed in most cancers and can promote proliferation and metastasis. The objective of this research was to study the role of MUC1 in cancer metastasis and its potential mechanism. Pancreatic (PANC1) and breast (MCF-7) cancer cells with stable 'knockdown' of MUC1 expression were created using RNA interference. beta-Catenin and E-cadherin protein expression were upregulated in PANC1 and MCF-7 cells with decreased MUC1 expression. Downregulation of MUC1 expression also induced beta-catenin relocation from the nucleus to the cytoplasm, increased E-cadherin/beta-catenin complex formation and E-cadherin membrane localization in PANC1 cells. PANC1 cells with 'knockdown' MUC1 expression had decreased in vitro cell invasion. This study suggested that MUC1 may affect cancer cell migration by increasing E-cadherin/beta-catenin complex formation and restoring E-cadherin membrane localization.
Akt Mediates Metastasis-Associated Gene 1 (MTA1) Regulating the Expression of E-cadherin and Promoting the Invasiveness of Prostate Cancer Cells
Wei, Juncheng; Weng, Yanjie; Zhou, Li; Shi, Ying; Zhou, Wenjuan; Ma, Ding; Wang, Changyu
Human metastasis-associated gene 1 (MTA1) is highly associated with the metastasis of prostate cancer; however, the molecular functions of MTA1 that facilitate metastasis remain unclear. In this study, we demonstrate that the silencing of MTA1 by siRNA treatment results in the upregulation of E-cadherin expression by the phosphorylation of AKT (p-AKT) and decreases the invasiveness of prostate cancer cells. We show that MTA1 is expressed in over 90% of prostate cancer tissues, especially metastatic prostate cancer tissue, comparing to non-expression in normal prostate tissue. RT-PCR analysis and Western blot assay showed that MTA1 expression is significantly higher in highly metastatic prostate cancer PC-3M-1E8 cells (1E8) than in poorly metastatic prostate cancer PC-3M-2B4 cells (2B4). Silencing MTA1 expression by siRNA treatment in 1E8 cells increased the cellular malignant characters, including the cellular adhesive ability, decreased the cellular invasive ability and changed the polarity of cellular cytoskeleton. 1E8 cells over-expressing MTA1 had a reduced expression of E-cadherin, while 1E8 cells treated with MTA1 siRNA had a higher expression of E-cadherin. The expression of phosphorylated AKT (p-AKT) or the inhibition of p-AKT by wortmannin treatment (100 nM) significantly altered the function of MTA1 in the regulation of E-cadherin expression. Alterations in E-cadherin expression changed the role of p-AKT in cellular malignant characters. All of these results demonstrate that MTA1 plays an important role in controlling the malignant transformation of prostate cancer cells through the p-AKT/E-cadherin pathway. This study also provides a new mechanistic role for MTA1 in the regulation of prostate cancer metastasis. PMID:23227138
Fibroblast growth factor 2 induces E-cadherin down-regulation via PI3K/Akt/mTOR and MAPK/ERK signaling in ovarian cancer cells.
Lau, Man-Tat; So, Wai-Kin; Leung, Peter C K
Fibroblast growth factor 2 (FGF2) is produced by ovarian cancer cells and it has been suggested to play an important role in tumor progression. In this study, we report that FGF2 treatment down-regulated E-cadherin by up-regulating its transcriptional repressors, Slug and ZEB1, in human ovarian cancer cells. The pharmacological inhibition of phosphatidylinositol-3-kinase (PI3K), mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR), and MEK suggests that both PI3K/Akt/mTOR and MAPK/ERK signaling are required for FGF2-induced E-cadherin down-regulation. Moreover, FGF2 up-regulated Slug and ZEB1 expression via the PI3K/Akt/mTOR and MAPK/ERK signaling pathways, respectively. Finally, FGF2-induced cell invasion was abolished by the inhibition of the PI3K/Akt/mTOR and MAPK/ERK pathways, and the forced expression of E-cadherin diminished the intrinsic invasiveness of ovarian cancer cells as well as the FGF2-induced cell invasion. This study demonstrates a novel mechanism in which FGF2 down-regulates E-cadherin expression through the activation of PI3K/Akt/mTOR and MAPK/ERK signaling, and the up-regulation of Slug and ZEB1 in human ovarian cancer cells.
Lack of microRNA-101 causes E-cadherin functional deregulation through EZH2 up-regulation in intestinal gastric cancer.
Carvalho, Joana; van Grieken, Nicole C; Pereira, Patricia M; Sousa, Sónia; Tijssen, Marianne; Buffart, Tineke E; Diosdado, Begoña; Grabsch, Heike; Santos, Manuel A S; Meijer, Gerrit; Seruca, Raquel; Carvalho, Beatriz; Oliveira, Carla
E-cadherin expression disruption is commonly observed in metastatic epithelial cancers and is a crucial step in gastric cancer (GC) initiation and progression. As aberrant expression of microRNAs often perturb the normal expression/function of pivotal cancer-related genes, we characterized and dissected a pathway that causes E-cadherin dysfunction via loss of microRNA-101 and up-regulation of EZH2 expression in GC. MicroRNA microarray expression profiling and array-CGH were used to reinforce miR-101 involvement in GC. By using quantitative real-time PCR and quantitative SNaPshot genomic PCR, we confirmed that miR-101 was significantly down-regulated in GC (p < 0.0089) in comparison with normal gastric mucosas and, at least in 65% of the GC cases analysed, this down-regulation was caused by deletions and/or microdeletions at miR-101 genomic loci. Moreover, around 40% of cases showing miR-101 down-regulation displayed concomitant EZH2 over-expression (at the RNA and protein levels), which, in turn, was associated with loss/aberrant expression of E-cadherin. Interestingly, this occurred preferentially in intestinal-type GCs, retaining allele(s) untargeted by classical CDH1-inactivating mechanisms. We also demonstrated that miR-101 gain of function or direct inhibition of EZH2 in Kato III GC cells led to a strong depletion of endogenous EZH2 and consequent rescue of E-cadherin membranous localization, mimicking results obtained in clinical GC samples. In conclusion, we show that deletions and/or microdeletions at both miR-101 genomic loci cause mature miR-101 down-regulation, subsequent EZH2 over-expression and E-cadherin dysfunction, specifically in intestinal-type GC.
Hypoxia induced E-cadherin involving regulators of Hippo pathway due to HIF-1α stabilization/nuclear translocation in bone metastasis from breast carcinoma
Maroni, Paola; Matteucci, Emanuela; Drago, Lorenzo; Banfi, Giuseppe; Bendinelli, Paola; Desiderio, Maria Alfonsina
The present study deals with the molecular mechanisms involved in the regulation of E-cadherin expression under hypoxia, because the adjustment of the amount of E-cadherin due to physical stimuli of the microenvironment might influence the colonization of metastasis to skeleton. We analyzed the effect of 1% oxygen tension, that is similar to that encountered in the bone marrow by metastatic cells spreading from breast carcinoma. The purpose was to evaluate the hypoxia-orchestrated control of E-cadherin transactivation via hypoxia inducible factor-1 (HIF-1) and peroxisome proliferator activated receptor-γ (PPARγ), and the involvement of Hippo pathway members, as regulators of transcription factors. To give a translational significance to the study, we took into consideration human pair-matched ductal breast carcinoma and bone metastasis: E-cadherin and Wwox were expressed in bone metastasis but not in breast carcinoma, while HIF-1α and TAZ seemed localized principally in nuclei of metastasis and were found in all cell compartments of breast carcinoma. A close examination of the regulatory mechanisms underlying E-cadherin expression in bone metastasis was done in 1833 clone derived from MDA-MB231 cells. Hypoxia induced E-cadherin only in 1833 clone, but not in parental cells, through HIF-1 and PPARγ activities, while Wwox decreased. Since Wwox was highly expressed in bone metastasis, the effect of ectopic Wwox was evaluated, and we showed E-cadherin transactivation and enhanced invasiveness in WWOX transfected 1833 cells. Also, hypoxia was additive with ectopic Wwox remarkably enhancing HIF-1α nuclear shuttle and accumulation due to the lengthening of the half-life of HIF-1α protein; under this experimental condition HIF-1α appeared as a slower migrated band compared with control, in agreement with the phosphorylation state. The in vitro data strongly supported the almost exclusive presence of HIF-1α in nuclei of human-bone metastasis. Thus, we identified
Direct regulation of E-cadherin by targeted histone methylation of TALE-SET fusion protein in cancer cells.
Cho, Hyun-Soo; Kang, Jeong Gu; Lee, Jae-Hye; Lee, Jeong-Ju; Jeon, Seong Kook; Ko, Jeong-Heon; Kim, Dae-Soo; Park, Kun-Hyang; Kim, Yong-Sam; Kim, Nam-Soon
TALE-nuclease chimeras (TALENs) can bind to and cleave specific genomic loci and, are used to engineer gene knockouts and additions. Recently, instead of using the FokI domain, epigenetically active domains, such as TET1 and LSD1, have been combined with TAL effector domains to regulate targeted gene expression via DNA and histone demethylation. However, studies of histone methylation in the TALE system have not been performed. Therefore, in this study, we established a novel targeted regulation system with a TAL effector domain and a histone methylation domain. To construct a TALE-methylation fusion protein, we combined a TAL effector domain containing an E-Box region to act as a Snail binding site and the SET domain of EHMT 2 to allow for histone methylation. The constructed TALE-SET module (TSET) repressed the expression of E-cadherin via by increasing H3K9 dimethylation. Moreover, the cells that overexpressed TSET showed increased cell migration and invasion. This is the first phenotype-based study of targeted histone methylation by the TALE module, and this new system can be applied in new cancer therapies to reduce side effects.
An hTERT/ZEB1 complex directly regulates E-cadherin to promote epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) in colorectal cancer.
Qin, Yong; Tang, Bo; Hu, Chang-Jiang; Xiao, Yu-Feng; Xie, Rui; Yong, Xin; Wu, Yu Yun; Dong, Hui; Yang, Shi-Ming
In human cancer, high telomerase expression is correlated with tumor aggressiveness and metastatic potential. Telomerase activation occurs through telomerase reverse transcriptase (hTERT) induction, which contributes to malignant transformation by stabilizing telomeres. Previous studies have shown that hTERT can promote tumor invasion and metastasis of gastric cancer, liver cancer and esophageal cancer. Epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT), a requirement for tumor invasion and metastasis, plays a key role in cancer progression. Although hTERT promotes EMT through Wnt signaling in several cancers, it is unknown if other signaling pathways are involved. In the present study, we found that hTERT and ZEB1 form a complex, which directly binds to the E-cadherin promoter, and then inhibits E-cadherin expression and promots EMT in colorectal cancer cells. hTERT overexpression in HCT116 and SW480 cells could induce E-cadherin down-regulation. However, E-cadherin expression was recovered when ZEB1 function was impaired even during hTERT overexpression. Taken together, our findings suggest that hTERT can promote cancer metastasis by stimulating EMT through the ZEB1 pathway and therefore inhibiting them may prevent cancer progression.
Distinct E-cadherin-based complexes regulate cell behaviour through miRNA processing or Src and p120 catenin activity
Kourtidis, Antonis; Ngok, Siu P.; Pulimeno, Pamela; Feathers, Ryan W.; Carpio, Lomeli R.; Baker, Tiffany R.; Carr, Jennifer M.; Yan, Irene K.; Borges, Sahra; Perez, Edith A.; Storz, Peter; Copland, John A.; Patel, Tushar; Thompson, E. Aubrey; Citi, Sandra; Anastasiadis, Panos Z.
E-cadherin and p120 catenin (p120) are essential for epithelial homeostasis, but can also exert pro-tumorigenic activities. Here, we resolve this apparent paradox by identifying two spatially and functionally distinct junctional complexes in non-transformed polarized epithelial cells: one growth suppressing at the apical zonula adherens (ZA), defined by the p120 partner PLEKHA7 and a non-nuclear subset of the core microprocessor components DROSHA and DGCR8, and one growth promoting at basolateral areas of cell–cell contact containing tyrosine-phosphorylated p120 and active Src. Recruitment of DROSHA and DGCR8 to the ZA is PLEKHA7 dependent. The PLEKHA7–microprocessor complex co-precipitates with primary microRNAs (pri-miRNAs) and possesses pri-miRNA processing activity. PLEKHA7 regulates the levels of select miRNAs, in particular processing of miR-30b, to suppress expression of cell transforming markers promoted by the basolateral complex, including SNAI1, MYC and CCND1. Our work identifies a mechanism through which adhesion complexes regulate cellular behaviour and reveals their surprising association with the microprocessor. PMID:26302406
Estrogen regulates Snail and Slug in the down-regulation of E-cadherin and induces metastatic potential of ovarian cancer cells through estrogen receptor alpha.
Park, Se-Hyung; Cheung, Lydia W T; Wong, Alice S T; Leung, Peter C K
Tumorigenesis is a multistep process involving dysregulated cell growth and metastasis. Considerable evidence implicates a mitogenic action of estrogen in early ovarian carcinogenesis. In contrast, its influence in the metastatic cascade of ovarian tumor cells remains obscure. In the present study, we showed that 17beta-estradiol (E2) increased the metastatic potential of human epithelial ovarian cancer cell lines. E2 treatment led to clear morphological changes characteristic of epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) and an enhanced cell migratory propensity. These morphological and functional alterations were associated with changes in the abundance of EMT-related genes. Upon E2 stimulation, expression and promoter activity of the epithelial marker E-cadherin were strikingly suppressed, whereas EMT-associated transcription factors, Snail and Slug, were significantly up-regulated. This up-regulation was attributed to the increase in gene transcription activated by E2. Depletion of endogenous Snail or Slug using small interfering RNA (siRNA) attenuated E2-mediated decrease in E-cadherin. In addition, E2-induced cell migration was also neutralized by the siRNAs, suggesting that both transcription factors are indispensable for the prometastatic actions of E2. More importantly, by using selective estrogen receptor (ER) agonists, forced expression, and siRNA approaches, we identified that E2 triggered the metastatic behaviors exclusively through an ERalpha-dependent pathway. We also showed that ERbeta had an opposing action on ERalpha because the presence of ERbeta completely inhibited the EMT and down-regulation of E-cadherin induced by ERalpha. Collectively, this study provides a compelling argument that estrogen can potentiate tumor progression by EMT induction and highlights the crucial role of ERalpha in ovarian tumorigenesis.
Loss of Sprouty2 in human high-grade serous ovarian carcinomas promotes EGF-induced E-cadherin down-regulation and cell invasion.
So, Wai-Kin; Cheng, Jung-Chien; Fan, Qianlan; Wong, Alice S T; Huntsman, David G; Gilks, C Blake; Leung, Peter C K
Sprouty (SPRY) proteins are well-characterized factors that inhibit receptor tyrosine kinase signaling. Our Human Exonic Evidence-Based Oligonucleotide (HEEBO) microarray results showed that the mRNA levels of SPRY2, but not of SPRY1 or SPRY4, are down-regulated in high-grade serous ovarian carcinoma (HGSC) tissues and epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC) cell lines. Molecular inversion probe (MIP) copy number analysis showed the deletion of the SPRY2 locus in HGSC. Overexpression of SPRY2 reduced EGF-induced cell invasion by attenuating EGF-induced E-cadherin down-regulation. Moreover, a positive correlation between SPRY2 and E-cadherin protein levels was observed in HGSC tissues. This study reveals the loss of SPRY2 in HGSC and indicates an important tumor-suppressive role for SPRY2 in mediating the stimulatory effect of EGF on human EOC progression.
SASH1 regulates melanocyte transepithelial migration through a novel Gαs-SASH1-IQGAP1-E-Cadherin dependent pathway.
Zhou, Ding'an; Wei, Zhiyun; Deng, Shanshan; Wang, Teng; Zai, Meiqing; Wang, Honglian; Guo, Luo; Zhang, Junyu; Zhong, Hailei; He, Lin; Xing, Qinghe
One important function of melanocytes (MCs) is to produce and transfer melanin to neighbouring keratinocytes (KCs) to protect epithelial cells from UV radiation. The mechanisms regulating the specific migration and localisation of the MC lineage remain unknown. We have found three heterozygous mutations that cause amino acid substitutions in the SASH1 gene in individuals with a kind of dyschromatosis. In epidermal tissues from an affected individual, we observed the increased transepithelial migration of melanocytes. Functional analyses indicate that these SASH1 mutations not only cause the increased migration of A375 cells and but also induce intensive bindings with two novel cell adhesion partners IQGAP1 and Gαs. Further, SASH1 mutations induce uniform loss of E-Cadherin in human A375 cells. Our findings suggest a new scaffold protein SASH1 to regulate IQGAP1-E-Cadherin signalling and demonstrate a novel crosstalking between GPCR signalling, calmodulin signalling for the modulation of MCs invasion.
Brain metastases from lung cancer show increased expression of DVL1, DVL3 and beta-catenin and down-regulation of E-cadherin.
Kafka, Anja; Tomas, Davor; Beroš, Vili; Pećina, Hrvoje Ivan; Zeljko, Martina; Pećina-Šlaus, Nives
The susceptibility of brain to secondary formation from lung cancer primaries is a well-known phenomenon. In contrast, the molecular basis for invasion and metastasis to the brain is largely unknown. In the present study, 31 brain metastases that originated from primary lung carcinomas were analyzed regarding over expression of Dishevelled-1 (DVL1), Dishevelled-3 (DVL3), E-cadherin (CDH1) and beta-catenin (CTNNB1). Protein expressions and localizations were analyzed by immunohistochemistry. Genetic alterations of E-cadherin were tested by polymerase chain reaction (PCR)/loss of heterozygosity (LOH). Heteroduplex was used to investigate mutations in beta-catenin. DVL1 and DVL3 showed over expression in brain metastasis in 87.1% and 90.3% of samples respectively. Nuclear staining was observed in 54.8% of cases for DVL1 and 53.3% for DVL3. The main effector of the Wnt signaling, beta-catenin, was up-regulated in 56%, and transferred to the nucleus in 36% of metastases. When DVL1 and DVL3 were up-regulated the number of cases with nuclear beta-catenin significantly increased (p=0.0001). Down-regulation of E-cadherin was observed in 80% of samples. Genetic analysis showed 36% of samples with LOH of the CDH1. In comparison to other lung cancer pathologies, the diagnoses adenocarcinoma and small cell lung cancer (SCLC) were significantly associated to CDH1 LOH (p=0.001). Microsatellite instability was detected in one metastasis from adenocarcinoma. Exon 3 of beta-catenin was not targeted. Altered expression of Dishevelled-1, Dishevelled-3, E-cadherin and beta-catenin were present in brain metastases which indicates that Wnt signaling is important and may contribute to better understanding of genetic profile conditioning lung cancer metastasis to the brain.
Brain Metastases from Lung Cancer Show Increased Expression of DVL1, DVL3 and Beta-Catenin and Down-Regulation of E-Cadherin
Kafka, Anja; Tomas, Davor; Beroš, Vili; Pećina, Hrvoje Ivan; Zeljko, Martina; Pećina-Šlaus, Nives
The susceptibility of brain to secondary formation from lung cancer primaries is a well-known phenomenon. In contrast, the molecular basis for invasion and metastasis to the brain is largely unknown. In the present study, 31 brain metastases that originated from primary lung carcinomas were analyzed regarding over expression of Dishevelled-1 (DVL1), Dishevelled-3 (DVL3), E-cadherin (CDH1) and beta-catenin (CTNNB1). Protein expressions and localizations were analyzed by immunohistochemistry. Genetic alterations of E-cadherin were tested by polymerase chain reaction (PCR)/loss of heterozygosity (LOH). Heteroduplex was used to investigate mutations in beta-catenin. DVL1 and DVL3 showed over expression in brain metastasis in 87.1% and 90.3% of samples respectively. Nuclear staining was observed in 54.8% of cases for DVL1 and 53.3% for DVL3. The main effector of the Wnt signaling, beta-catenin, was up-regulated in 56%, and transferred to the nucleus in 36% of metastases. When DVL1 and DVL3 were up-regulated the number of cases with nuclear beta-catenin significantly increased (p = 0.0001). Down-regulation of E-cadherin was observed in 80% of samples. Genetic analysis showed 36% of samples with LOH of the CDH1. In comparison to other lung cancer pathologies, the diagnoses adenocarcinoma and small cell lung cancer (SCLC) were significantly associated to CDH1 LOH (p = 0.001). Microsatellite instability was detected in one metastasis from adenocarcinoma. Exon 3 of beta-catenin was not targeted. Altered expression of Dishevelled-1, Dishevelled-3, E-cadherin and beta-catenin were present in brain metastases which indicates that Wnt signaling is important and may contribute to better understanding of genetic profile conditioning lung cancer metastasis to the brain. PMID:24933634
Metastasis-associated protein 1 promotes tumor invasion by downregulation of E-cadherin.
Weng, Wenhao; Yin, Jiayi; Zhang, Yue; Qiu, Jin; Wang, Xinghe
Esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) is one of the most common malignant tumors. Upregulation of metastasis-associated protein 1 (MTA1) has been reported to contribute to the development of esophageal squamous cell carcinoma. Therefore, the objective of our study was to identify the molecular mechanisms of MTA1 underlying the invasion and metastasis of ESCC. We overexpressed MTA1 in ESCC cells to examine the role of MTA1 in the regulation of the cell invasion. In addition, using luciferase reporter assay and electrophoretic mobility shift assays, we evaluated the binding of MTA1 to the promoter of E-cadherin. We found that MTA1 overexpression promotes invasiveness of the human esophageal carcinoma cell line EC-9706. This effect was accompanied by downregulation of the epithelial cell marker E-cadherin and upregulation of vimentin and MMP-9 luciferase reporter assays showed that MTA1 inhibited the promoter activity of E-cadherin and that this was dependent on Snail, Slug and HDAC1. We also found that Snail and Slug bound the E-boxes in the promoter of E-cadherin and recruited MTA1 and HDAC1 to suppress E-cadherin expression, as confirmed by electrophoretic mobility shift and chromatin immunoprecipitation assays. MTA1 promotes tumor invasion by downregulation of E-cadherin. These results demonstrate a novel role for MTA1 in the regulation of esophageal squamous cell carcinoma invasion and provide insight into the mechanisms involved in this process.
Spatial distribution of cell-cell and cell-ECM adhesions regulates force balance while main-taining E-cadherin molecular tension in cell pairs.
Sim, Joo Yong; Moeller, Jens; Hart, Kevin C; Ramallo, Diego; Vogel, Viola; Dunn, Alex R; Nelson, W James; Pruitt, Beth L
Mechanical linkage between cell-cell and cell-extracellular matrix (ECM) adhesions regulates cell shape changes during embryonic development and tissue homoeostasis. We examined how the force balance between cell-cell and cell-ECM adhesions changes with cell spread area and aspect ratio in pairs of MDCK cells. We used ECM micropatterning to drive different cytoskeleton strain energy states and cell-generated traction forces and used a Förster resonance energy transfer tension biosensor to ask whether changes in forces across cell-cell junctions correlated with E-cadherin molecular tension. We found that continuous peripheral ECM adhesions resulted in increased cell-cell and cell-ECM forces with increasing spread area. In contrast, confining ECM adhesions to the distal ends of cell-cell pairs resulted in shorter junction lengths and constant cell-cell forces. Of interest, each cell within a cell pair generated higher strain energies than isolated single cells of the same spread area. Surprisingly, E-cadherin molecular tension remained constant regardless of changes in cell-cell forces and was evenly distributed along cell-cell junctions independent of cell spread area and total traction forces. Taken together, our results showed that cell pairs maintained constant E-cadherin molecular tension and regulated total forces relative to cell spread area and shape but independently of total focal adhesion area.
MiR-23a regulates TGF-β-induced epithelial-mesenchymal transition by targeting E-cadherin in lung cancer cells.
Cao, Mengru; Seike, Masahiro; Soeno, Chie; Mizutani, Hideaki; Kitamura, Kazuhiro; Minegishi, Yuji; Noro, Rintaro; Yoshimura, Akinobu; Cai, Li; Gemma, Akihiko
Transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β)-induced epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) has been shown to be related to the pathogenesis of various diseases including lung cancer. Recently, microRNAs (miRNA) have been recognized as a new class of genes involved in human tumorigenesis. MiR-23a/24/27a is a miRNA cluster located in chromosome 19p13.12, which can function as an oncogene in several human cancers. In this study, we analyzed miR-23a/24/27a expression in 10 non-small cell cancer (NSCLC) cell lines by real-time PCR analysis. Correlation between expression of these miRNAs and TGF-β/Smad signaling was evaluated. We found that miR-23a could be regulated by TGF-β1 in a Smad-dependent manner in A549 lung adenocarcinoma cells showing the EMT phenomenon. Knockdown of miR-23a partially restored E-cadherin expression under conditions of TGF-β1 stimulation. In contrast, overexpression of miR-23a could suppress E-cadherin expression and stimulate EMT. Furthermore, A549 cells with overexpressed miR-23a were more resistant to gefitinib compared to the parental cells. These findings suggest that miR-23a regulates TGF-β-induced EMT by targeting E-cadherin in lung cancer cells and may be useful as a new therapeutic target in NSCLC.
IGF-II induced by hepatitis B virus X protein regulates EMT via SUMO mediated loss of E-cadherin in mice
Ha, Hye-Lin; Kwon, Taeho; Bak, In Seon; Erikson, Raymond L.; Kim, Bo Yeon; Yu, Dae-Yeul
Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is one of the most common cancers and a leading cause of cancer mortality. Prognosis of this disease largely depends on its stage. An Enlarged liver, due to dysplasia, may be a critical point in the multi-step progression to HCC. The mechanism underlying hepatomegaly in human and mouse models are poorly understood. We previously reported we observed enlarged liver in hepatitis B virus X protein (HBx) expressing mice (HBx mice). Here we identify the critical role of HBx induced IGF-II in hepatomegaly in mice and abnormal cell growth in human hepatoma cells. We found that HBx induced IGF-II is essential to induce epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) through loss of E-cadherin. In mouse liver, loss of E-cadherin was mediated by post-translational regulation, at least in part, by protease and SUMOylation not by transcriptional regulation. In contrast, in hepatoma cell line (HepG2 cells) Akt signal pathway controls the mRNA expression level of EMT-related transcription factors, especially Twist, in addition to post- translational modification through SUMOylation. Thus, IGF-II-mediated loss of E-cadherin is central in developing hepatomegaly in mice and abnormal cell growth in the hepatoma cell line. HBx induced IGF-II represents a potential biomarker, which is also a therapeutic target in HCC. PMID:27486970
E-cadherin and Src associate with extradesmosomal Dsg3 and modulate desmosome assembly and adhesion.
Rötzer, Vera; Hartlieb, Eva; Vielmuth, Franziska; Gliem, Martin; Spindler, Volker; Waschke, Jens
Desmosomes provide strong intercellular cohesion essential for the integrity of cells and tissues exposed to continuous mechanical stress. For desmosome assembly, constitutively synthesized desmosomal cadherins translocate to the cell-cell border, cluster and mature in the presence of Ca(2+) to stable cell contacts. As adherens junctions precede the formation of desmosomes, we investigated in this study the relationship between the classical cadherin E-cadherin and the desmosomal cadherin Desmoglein 3 (Dsg3), the latter of which is indispensable for cell-cell adhesion in keratinocytes. By using autoantibodies from patients with the blistering skin disease pemphigus vulgaris (PV), we showed in loss of function studies that E-cadherin compensates for effects of desmosomal disassembly. Overexpression of E-cadherin reduced the loss of cell cohesion induced by PV autoantibodies and attenuated activation of p38 MAPK. Silencing of E-cadherin abolished the localization of Dsg3 at the membrane and resulted in a shift of Dsg3 from the cytoskeletal to the non-cytoskeletal protein pool which conforms to the notion that E-cadherin regulates desmosome assembly. Mechanistically, we identified a complex consisting of extradesmosomal Dsg3, E-cadherin, β-catenin and Src and that the stability of this complex is regulated by Src. Moreover, Dsg3 and E-cadherin are phosphorylated on tyrosine residues in a Src-dependent manner and Src activity is required for recruiting Dsg3 to the cytoskeletal pool as well as for desmosome maturation towards a Ca(2+)-insensitive state. Our data provide new insights into the role of E-cadherin and the contribution of Src signaling for formation and maintenance of desmosomal junctions.
TLE1 promotes EMT in A549 lung cancer cells through suppression of E-cadherin.
Yao, Xin; Ireland, Shubha Kale; Pham, Tri; Temple, Brandi; Chen, Renwei; Raj, Madhwa H G; Biliran, Hector
The Groucho transcriptional corepressor TLE1 protein has recently been shown to be a putative lung specific oncogene, but its underlying oncogenic activity in lung cancer has not been fully elucidated. In this report, we investigated whether TLE1 regulates lung cancer aggressiveness using the human lung adenocarcinoma cell line A549 as a model system. Through a combination of genetic approaches, we found that TLE1 potentiates epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) in A549 cells in part through suppression of the tumor suppressor gene E-cadherin. Exogenous expression of TLE1 in A549 cells resulted in heightened EMT phenotypes (enhanced fibroblastoid morphology and increased cell migratory potential) and in molecular alterations characteristic of EMT (downregulation of the epithelial marker E-cadherin and upregulation of the mesenchymal marker Vimentin). Conversely, downregulation of endogenous TLE1 expression in these cells resulted in reversal of basal EMT characterized by a cuboidal-like epithelial cell phenotype, reduced cell motility, and upregulated E-cadherin expression. Mechanistic studies showed that TLE1 suppresses E-cadherin expression at the transcriptional level in part by recruiting histone deacetylase (HDAC) activity to the E-cadherin promoter. Consistently, the HDAC inhibitor TSA partially reversed the TLE1-induced E-cadherin downregulation and cell migration, suggesting a role for HDACs in TLE1-mediated transcriptional repression of E-cadherin and EMT function. These findings uncover a novel role of TLE1 in regulating EMT in A549 cells through its repressive effect on E-cadherin and provide a mechanism for TLE1 oncogenic activity in lung cancer.
Antagonism of microRNA-99a promotes cell invasion and down-regulates E-cadherin expression in pancreatic cancer cells by regulating mammalian target of rapamycin.
Li, Dan; Li, Xiaohan; Cao, Wei; Qi, Yafei; Yang, Xianghong
MicroRNA-99a (miRNA-99a), a potential tumor suppressor, has been implicated in tumorigenesis of many human malignancies. However, the role of miRNA-99a in pancreatic cancer remains unclear. In the present study, we transfected miRNA-99a antagonism into human pancreatic cancer AsPC-1 cells to inhibit miRNA-99a expression and investigated its influence on cell migration and invasion as well as the underlying possible mechanisms. We found that miRNA-99a antagonism significantly increased proliferation, migration and invasion abilities of AsPC-1 cells, which was accompanied by increased expression of mesenchymal phenotype cell biomarkers (N-cadherin, Vimentin, and α-SMA), and decreased expression of epithelial phenotype cell biomarker (E-cadherin). Interestingly, small interfering RNA (siRNA)-mediated knockdown of mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) remarkably restored miRNA-99a antagonism-induced down-regulation of E-cadherin. In conclusion, our data suggest that miRNA-99a is involved in pancreatic cancer migration and invasion by regulating mTOR, and may provide a target for effective therapies against pancreatic cancer.
Overexpression of integrin-linked kinase (ILK) promotes glioma cell invasion and migration and down-regulates E-cadherin via the NF-κB pathway.
Liang, Feng; Zhang, Shuqin; Wang, Bing; Qiu, Jianwu; Wang, Yunjie
Integrin-linked kinase (ILK) is a ubiquitously expressed serine/threonine protein kinase that has been implicated in cancer development, progression and metastasis. The aim of the present study was to characterize the role of ILK in glioma cell invasion and migration. We generated a recombinant eukaryotic expression vector containing the human ILK gene and transfected it into human glioma SHG-44 cells. Real-time PCR and western blot analysis were used to identify the stable transformants. The wound healing and Transwell invasion assays showed that ectopic overexpression of ILK in SHG-44 cells significantly promoted their migration and invasion capabilities in culture. This was accompanied by a decrease in expression of E-cadherin and an increase in expression of Snail and Slug. Moreover, the decrease in E-cadherin expression induced by ILK overexpression was greatly restored by the nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB) inhibitor BAY 11-7028 or small interfering RNA targeting NF-κB p65, indicating an involvement of NF-κB in ILK-induced down-regulation of E-cadherin. In conclusion, our data underscore a novel role for ILK in glioma invasion and metastasis processes, implicating potential for therapeutic interference.
E-cadherin transcriptional down-regulation by epigenetic and microRNA-200 family alterations is related to mesenchymal and drug-resistant phenotypes in human breast cancer cells.
Tryndyak, Volodymyr P; Beland, Frederick A; Pogribny, Igor P
The conversion of early stage tumors into invasive malignancies with an aggressive phenotype has been associated with the irreversible loss of E-cadherin expression. The loss of E-cadherin expression in human tumors, including breast cancer, has been attributed to promoter CpG island hypermethylation and direct inhibition by transcriptional repressors. Recent evidence demonstrates that up-regulation of E-cadherin by microRNA-200b (miR-200b) and miR-200c through direct targeting of transcriptional repressors of E-cadherin, ZEB1, and ZEB2, inhibits epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT), a crucial process in the tumor progression. We demonstrate that microRNA miR-200 family-mediated transcriptional up-regulation of E-cadherin in mesenchymal MDA-MB-231 and BT-549 cells is associated directly with translational repression of ZEB1 and indirectly with increased acetylation of histone H3 at the E-cadherin promoter. The increase in histone H3 acetylation may be attributed to the disruption of repressive complexes between ZEB1 and histone deacetylases and to the inhibition of SIRT1, a class III histone deacetylase. These events inhibit EMT and reactivate a less aggressive epithelial phenotype in cancer cells. Additionally, disruption of ZEB1-histone deacetylase repressor complexes and down-regulation of SIRT1 histone deacetylase up-regulate proapoptotic genes in the p53 apoptotic pathway resulting in the increased sensitivity of cancer cells to the chemotherapeutic agent doxorubicin.
EFA6, exchange factor for ARF6, regulates the actin cytoskeleton and associated tight junction in response to E-cadherin engagement.
Luton, Frédéric; Klein, Stéphanie; Chauvin, Jean-Paul; Le Bivic, André; Bourgoin, Sylvain; Franco, Michel; Chardin, Pierre
We addressed the role of EFA6, exchange factor for ARF6, during the development of epithelial cell polarity in Madin-Darby canine kidney cells. EFA6 is located primarily at the apical pole of polarized cells, including the plasma membrane. After calcium-triggered E-cadherin-mediated cell adhesion, EFA6 is recruited to a Triton X-100-insoluble fraction and its protein level is increased concomitantly to the accelerated formation of a functional tight junction (TJ). The expression of EFA6 results in the selective retention at the cell surface of the TJ protein occludin. This effect is due to EFA6 capacities to promote selectively the stability of the apical actin ring onto which the TJ is anchored, resulting in the exclusion of TJ proteins from endocytosis. Finally, our data suggest that EFA6 effects are achieved by the coordinate action of both its exchange activity and its actin remodeling C-terminal domain. We conclude that EFA6 is a signaling molecule that responds to E-cadherin engagement and is involved in TJ formation and stability.
Sprouty4 mediates amphiregulin-induced down-regulation of E-cadherin and cell invasion in human ovarian cancer cells.
So, Wai-Kin; Cheng, Jung-Chien; Liu, Yingtao; Xu, Congjian; Zhao, Jianfang; Chang, Vincent T W; Leung, Peter C K
Sprouty (SPRY) proteins are well-characterized factors that inhibit receptor tyrosine kinase (RTK)-mediated activation of cellular signaling pathways. The down-regulation of SPRY4 expression has been reported in human ovarian cancer. However, the specific roles and mechanisms by which SPRY4 affects ovarian cancer progression are completely unknown. Amphiregulin (AREG) binds exclusively to the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) and has been considered to be a dominant autocrine/paracrine EGFR ligand in ovarian cancer. In the present study, we first examined the effects of AREG on SPRY4 expression and the possible underlying molecular mechanisms involved in this process in two human ovarian cancer cell lines. Our results demonstrated that treatment with AREG up-regulated SPRY4 expression by activating the ERK1/2 signaling pathway. In addition, we showed that small interfering RNA (siRNA)-mediated knockdown of SPRY4 attenuated the AREG-induced down-regulation of E-cadherin by inhibiting the expression of SNAIL but not SLUG. In contrast, overexpression of SPRY4 enhanced AREG-induced down-regulation of E-cadherin by increasing the expression of SNAIL. Moreover, SPRY4 knockdown attenuated AREG-induced cell migration and invasion. Overexpression of SPRY4 enhanced AREG-induced cell invasion. This study reveals that SPRY4 is involved in EGFR-mediated human ovarian cancer progression.
Activated macrophages down-regulate expression of E-cadherin in hepatocellular carcinoma cells via NF-κB/Slug pathway.
Wang, Xianteng; Wang, Hao; Li, Guosheng; Song, Yonghong; Wang, Shurong; Zhu, Faliang; Guo, Chun; Zhang, Lining; Shi, Yongyu
Hepatocellular carcinomas are an aggressive malignancy mainly due to metastasis or postsurgical recurrence. Expression of E-cadherin is strongly reduced in Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) tissues, and its downregulation is connected to invasiveness and metastasis in hepatocellular carcinomas. The previous study showed that the supernatant from activated macrophages can downregulate the expression of E-cadherin in HCC cells. The partial known molecular mechanism is that tyrosine kinases c-Src- and EGFR phosphorylate β-catenin and E-cadherin leading to destabilization of E-cadherin/β-catenin complex. The aim of this study is to clarify other mechanism by which activated macrophages downregulate the expression of E-cadherin. We detect the expression of E-cadherin and macrophage infiltration in hepatocellular carcinoma tissues by double-staining immunohistochemistry and evaluate the relationship between macrophages and E-cadherin expression in hepatocellular carcinoma cells in vitro experiments. We found that reduced expression of E-cadherin was associated with macrophage infiltration along the border between the tumor nest and stroma in hepatocellular carcinoma tissues. Besides, protein expression of E-cadherin was significantly decreased in hepatocellular carcinoma cells co-cultured with macrophages derived from THP-1 cells. Consistently, mRNA expression of E-cadherin was also decreased in cancer cells co-cultured with THP-1-differentiated macrophages. Moreover, the downregulation of E-cadherin expression was companied by upregulation of Slug expression in cancer cells with conditional medium from THP-1-differentiated macrophage culture. The change in expression of E-cadherin and Slug was abrogated when NF-κB signaling pathway was blocked. All the findings suggested that macrophages contributed to the decreased expression of E-cadherin by NF-κB/Slug pathway in hepatocellular carcinomas.
RUNX2 and TAZ-dependent signaling pathways regulate soluble E-Cadherin levels and tumorsphere formation in breast cancer cells
Brusgard, Jessica L.; Choe, Moran; Chumsri, Saranya; Renoud, Keli; MacKerell, Alexander D.; Sudol, Marius; Passaniti, Antonino
Intratumoral heterogeneity and treatment resistance drive breast cancer (BC) metastasis and recurrence. The RUNX2 transcription factor is upregulated in early stage luminal BC. However, the precise mechanism by which RUNX2 regulates an oncogenic phenotype in luminal BCs remains an enigma. We show that RUNX2 is predictive of poor overall survival in BC patients. RUNX2 associated with the TAZ transcriptional co-activator to promote a tumorigenic phenotype that was inhibited by knockdown of TAZ. RUNX2 increased endogenous TAZ translocation to the nucleus, which was prevented by inhibiting RUNX2. RUNX2/TAZ interaction was associated with ectodomain shedding of an oncogenic soluble E-Cadherin fragment (sE-Cad), which is known to cooperate with human epidermal growth factor receptor-2 (HER2/ErbB2) to increase BC growth. Neutralizing E-Cadherin antibodies or TAZ knockdown reduced the levels of sE-Cad in RUNX2-expressing BC cells and inhibited tumorsphere formation. RUNX2 expression also increased HER2-mediated tumorsphere size, which was reduced after treatment with the HER2-targeting agents Herceptin and lapatinib. These data support a novel role for RUNX2 in promoting an oncogenic phenotype in luminal BC in the context of TAZ, sE-Cad, and HER2. Using this signaling pathway to monitor BC cell oncogenic activity will accelerate the discovery of new therapeutic modalities to treat BC patients. PMID:26320173
E-Cadherin and Gastric Cancer: Cause, Consequence, and Applications
Liu, Xin
E-cadherin (epithelial-cadherin), encoded by the CDH1 gene, is a transmembrane glycoprotein playing a crucial role in maintaining cell-cell adhesion. E-cadherin has been reported to be a tumor suppressor and to be down regulated in gastric cancer. Besides genetic mutations in CDH1 gene to induce hereditary diffuse gastric cancer (HDGC), epigenetic factors such as DNA hypermethylation also contribute to the reduction of E-cadherin in gastric carcinogenesis. In addition, expression of E-cadherin could be mediated by infectious agents such as H. pylori (Helicobacter pylori). As E-cadherin is vitally involved in signaling pathways modulating cell proliferation, survival, invasion, and migration, dysregulation of E-cadherin leads to dysfunction of gastric epithelial cells and contributes to gastric cancer development. Moreover, changes in its expression could reflect pathological conditions of gastric mucosa, making its role in gastric cancer complicated. In this review, we summarize the functions of E-cadherin and the signaling pathways it regulates. We aim to provide comprehensive perspectives in the molecular mechanism of E-cadherin and its involvement in gastric cancer initiation and progression. We also focus on its applications for early diagnosis, prognosis, and therapy in gastric cancer in order to open new avenues in this field. PMID:25184143
Up-regulation of MBD1 promotes pancreatic cancer cell epithelial-mesenchymal transition and invasion by epigenetic down-regulation of E-cadherin.
Xu, J; Zhu, W; Xu, W; Yao, W; Zhang, B; Xu, Y; Ji, S; Liu, C; Long, J; Ni, Q; Yu, X
Methyl-CpG binding domain protein 1 (MBD1) has been implicated in transcriptional regulation, heterochromatin formation, genomic stability, cell-cycle progression and development. It is also predicted that MBD1 might be involved in tumor development and progression. However, whether and how MBD1 is involved in tumorigenesis, especially in pancreatic cancer (PC), is currently unknown. We found that MBD1 was significantly up-regulated in PC tissues compared with the surrounding normal tissues according to RT-PCR data. Tissue microarray (TMA) based immunohistochemical study from 58 surgically resected PC specimens indicated that higher MBD1 expression correlated with lymph node metastasis and poor survival in PC patients. Gain- and loss-of-function studies in vitro validated MBD1 as a potent oncogene promoting PC cell invasion as well as epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT). Mechanistically, MBD1 is associated with Twist and NAD-dependent deacetylase sirtuin-1 (SIRT1), thereby forming the Twist-MBD1-SIRT1 complex on the CDH1 promoter, which resulted in reduced E-cadherin transcription activity and increased cell EMT ability. Significantly, targeting MBD1 reversed the EMT phenotype of PC and restored sensitivity to chemotherapy. Taken together, the results of our study revealed a novel function of MBD1 in PC invasion and metastasis by providing a molecular mechanism underlying MBD1-promoted EMT. Thus MBD1 may serve as a potential therapeutic target for PC.
The PI3K/Akt/mTOR signaling pathway mediates insulin-like growth factor 1-induced E-cadherin down-regulation and cell proliferation in ovarian cancer cells.
Lau, Man-Tat; Leung, Peter C K
Insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF1) is produced by ovarian cancer cells and it has been suggested that it plays an important role in tumor progression. In this study, we report that IGF1 treatment down-regulated E-cadherin by up-regulating E-cadherin transcriptional repressors, Snail and Slug, in human ovarian cancer cells. The pharmacological inhibition of phosphatidylinositol-3-kinase (PI3K) and mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) suggests that PI3K/Akt/mTOR signaling is required for IGF1-induced E-cadherin down-regulation. Moreover, IGF1 up-regulated Snail and Slug expression via the PI3K/Akt/mTOR signaling pathway. Finally, IGF1-induced cell proliferation was abolished by inhibiting PI3K/Akt/mTOR signaling. This study demonstrates a novel mechanism in which IGF1 down-regulates E-cadherin expression through the activation of PI3K/Akt/mTOR signaling and the up-regulation of Snail and Slug in human ovarian cancer cells.
Focal adhesion kinases crucially regulate TGFβ-induced migration and invasion of bladder cancer cells via Src kinase and E-cadherin
Kong, De-Bo; Chen, Feng; Sima, Ni
Focal adhesion kinase (FAK) is a non-receptor protein-tyrosine kinase that is triggered off by special extracellular signals such as some growth factors and integrins. FAK is found in cell–matrix attachment sites and implicated in cell migration, invasion, movement, gene expression, survival and apoptosis. In this study, we aimed to investigate whether FAK plays a role in invasion and migration of bladder cancer cells. Using an FAK-specific small interfering RNA (siRNA) and an FAK inhibitor PF-228, we found that inhibition of FAK tyrosine phosphorylation or knockdown of FAK suppressed invasion and migration of bladder cancer cells. Src is an important mediator of FAK-regulated migratory and invasive activity. Tyrosine phosphorylation of Src and FAK is mutually dependent and plays a key role in transforming growth factor beta (TGFβ)-induced invasion and migration. E-cadherin acts downstream of FAK and is a critical negative regulator in FAK-regulated invasion and migration of bladder cancer cells. These findings imply that FAK is involved in oncogenic signaling of invasion and migration, which can be a novel therapeutic target to treat patients with bladder cancer. PMID:28367061
Zeb1 Regulates E-cadherin and Epcam (Epithelial Cell Adhesion Molecule) Expression to Control Cell Behavior in Early Zebrafish Development*
Vannier, Corinne; Mock, Kerstin; Brabletz, Thomas; Driever, Wolfgang
The ZEB1 transcription factor is best known as an inducer of epithelial-mesenchymal transitions (EMT) in cancer metastasis, acting through transcriptional repression of CDH1 (encoding E-cadherin) and the EMT-suppressing microRNA-200s (miR-200s). Here we analyze roles of the ZEB1 zebrafish orthologs, Zeb1a and Zeb1b, and of miR-200s in control of cell adhesion and morphogenesis during gastrulation and segmentation stages. Loss and gain of function analyses revealed that Zeb1 represses cdh1 expression to fine-tune adhesiveness of migrating deep blastodermal cells. Furthermore, Zeb1 acts as a repressor of epcam in the deep cells of the blastoderm and may contribute to control of epithelial integrity of enveloping layer cells, the outermost cells of the blastoderm. We found a similar ZEB1-dependent repression of EPCAM expression in human pancreatic and breast cancer cell lines, mediated through direct binding of ZEB1 to the EPCAM promoter. Thus, Zeb1 proteins employ several evolutionary conserved mechanisms to regulate cell-cell adhesion during development and cancer. PMID:23667256
RUNX3 regulates renal cell carcinoma metastasis via targeting miR-6780a-5p/E-cadherin/EMT signaling axis.
Chen, Feifei; Liu, Xin; Cheng, Qian; Zhu, Shudong; Bai, Jin; Zheng, Junnian
Runt-related transcription factor 3 (RUNX3) is a tumor suppressor in many human solid tumors. In this study, renal cell carcinoma (RCC) microarray analysis showed that the level of RUNX3 expression was lower in RCC tissue than in adjacent normal renal tissues, and was correlated with depth of invasion (pT stage) (P<0.001) and Tumor Node Metastasis (TNM) stage (P<0.001). RUNX3 expression was negatively correlated with poor 5-year overall and disease-free patient survival. RUNX3 suppressed RCC metastasis and invasion and increased levels of E-cadherin, an important marker of epithelial-mesenchymal transition, in vitro and in vivo. RUNX3 also inhibited microRNA-6780a-5p, which directly targeted the E-cadherin 3'untranslated region and decreased its expression. We confirmed that miR-6780a-5p mimics abrogated RUNX3-mediated E-cadherin upregulation and RCC metastasis/invasion inhibition. Thus, RUNX3 targeted the miR-6780a-5p/E-cadherin/EMT signaling axis to suppress renal carcinoma cell migration and invasion. This pathway illustrates a new RUNX3 function and provides potential targets for the treatment of RUNX3 mutant and loss-of-function RCC tumors. RUNX3 may also act as an effective prognostic indicator in RCC.
Effect of Slug-Mediated Down-Regulation of E-Cadherin on Invasiveness and Metastasis of Anaplastic Thyroid Cancer Cells
Sheng, Li; Zhang, Shanjuan; Xu, Hui
Background Slug has been found to promote migration and invasion of many cancer cells, including anaplastic thyroid cancer (ATC). Thus, targeting Slug expression could provide new approaches for the treatment of patients with ATC. Material/Methods Small interfering RNA (siRNA) targeting Slug (Slug siRNA) was used to construct clonal derivatives in the metastatic ATC SW1736 cells. Slug cDNA transfection was used to restore the Slug expression in the Slug siRNA-transfected SW1736 cells (Slug siRNA/SW1736). E-cadherin siRNA was used to inhibit E-cadherin expression in the Slug siRNA/SW1736 cells. The SW1736 cell migration, invasion, and signaling pathway was analyzed in vitro. Furthermore, the stable Slug siRNA-transfected SW1736 clones were used for the lung metastasis assay in an in vivo mouse model. Results Targeting Slug expression in SW1736 cells showed a 45% decrease in migration and an 85% decrease in invasiveness in vitro. Knockdown of E-cadherin by E-cadherin siRNA transfection or Slug overexpression by Slug cDNA transfection restored the invasive and migrative ability in SW1736 cells. In addition, we found an 80% decrease in the number of macroscopic lung metastases nodes of mice by in vivo analysis. Western blot assay showed that Slug expression was inhibited and E-cadherin expression was increased in the Slug siRNA-transfected tumors. Conclusions Targeting Slug signaling pathway is effective in preventing lung metastasis in ATC. PMID:28070118
Epigenetic inactivation of E-cadherin by promoter hypermethylation in oral carcinoma cells.
Maeda, Genta; Chiba, Tadashige; Aoba, Takaaki; Imai, Kazushi
The loss of E-cadherin expression by epigenetic aberrations, including promoter hypermethylation and transcription repressor binding, plays a key role in the initiation of the epithelial-mesenchymal transition, which leads to the progression of oral squamous cell carcinomas. However, mutual actions and roles of the epigenetic pathways remain to be elucidated. In this study, we determined the methylation status of cytosine within CpG islands of the E-cadherin promoter region in relation to the expression level of SIP1, a major E-cadherin repressor in oral carcinoma cells. Methylation-specific polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and PCR-restriction fragment length polymorphism analyses showed that the expression of E-cadherin was downregulated in parallel with promoter hypermethylation. The use of a bisulfite-modified sequence further validated that methylation was observed in 22.6 +/- 38.7% (mean +/- 1 SD) of cytosines in carcinoma cells negligibly expressing E-cadherin, in contrast to 7.5 +/- 1.8% in E-cadherin-expressing cells. Treatment with a demethylating reagent, 5-azacytidine, induced upregulation of E-cadherin in some E-cadherin-expressing carcinoma cell lines but not in others. The finding that the unresponsive cell lines retained high expression of SIP1 supports the repressive effect of SIP1 on E-cadherin expression regardless of promoter hypermethylation. Collectively, the overall results suggest the dynamic but differential regulation of E-cadherin by epigenetic aberrations in the pathology of oral carcinomas.
Overexpression of Hsp27 in a human melanoma cell line: regulation of E-cadherin, MUC18/MCAM, and plasminogen activator (PA) system
Aldrian, Silke; Kindas-Mügge, Ingela; Trautinger, Franz; Fröhlich, Ilse; Gsur, Andrea; Herbacek, Irene; Berger, Walter; Micksche, Michael
Hsp27 is considered a potential marker for cell differentiation in diverse tissues. Several aspects linked to the differentiation process and to the transition from high to low metastatic potential were analyzed in melanoma cells transfected with Hsp27. E-cadherin plays a central role in cell differentiation, migration, and normal development. Loss of expression or function of E-cadherin has been documented in a variety of human malignancies. We observed by fluorescence-activated cell sorter (FACS) as well as immunofluorescence (IF) analysis a pronounced expression of E-cadherin in Hsp27-transfected A375 melanoma cells compared with control melanoma cells. The expression of the adhesion molecule MUC18/MCAM correlates directly with the metastatic potential of melanoma cells. In contrast to wild-type and neotransfected melanoma cells, in Hsp27-transfected cells the expression of MUC18/MCAM could not be detected by FACS and IF analysis. The plasminogen activator (PA) system plays a central role in mediating extracellular proteolysis and also in nonproteolytic events such as cell adhesion, migration, and transmembrane signaling. Hsp27 transfectants revealed elevated messenger ribonucleic acid expression of the urokinase-type PA (uPA) and its inhibitor, PA inhibitor type 1, which might indicate a neutralization effect of the proteolytic activity of uPA. Control cells failed to express both these molecules. The influence of Hsp27 expression on uPA activity and the involvement of E-cadherin could be demonstrated by use of anti–E-cadherin–blocking antibody. Our data provide evidence for an inhibitory-regulatory role of Hsp27 in tumor progression as found in our system. PMID:14984058
α-Catenin and Vinculin Cooperate to Promote High E-cadherin-based Adhesion Strength*
Thomas, William A.; Boscher, Cécile; Chu, Yeh-Shiu; Cuvelier, Damien; Martinez-Rico, Clara; Seddiki, Rima; Heysch, Julie; Ladoux, Benoit; Thiery, Jean Paul; Mege, René-Marc; Dufour, Sylvie
Maintaining cell cohesiveness within tissues requires that intercellular adhesions develop sufficient strength to support traction forces applied by myosin motors and by neighboring cells. Cadherins are transmembrane receptors that mediate intercellular adhesion. The cadherin cytoplasmic domain recruits several partners, including catenins and vinculin, at sites of cell-cell adhesion. Our study used force measurements to address the role of αE-catenin and vinculin in the regulation of the strength of E-cadherin-based adhesion. αE-catenin-deficient cells display only weak aggregation and fail to strengthen intercellular adhesion over time, a process rescued by the expression of αE-catenin or chimeric E-cadherin·αE-catenins, including a chimera lacking the αE-catenin dimerization domain. Interestingly, an αE-catenin mutant lacking the modulation and actin-binding domains restores cadherin-dependent cell-cell contacts but cannot strengthen intercellular adhesion. The expression of αE-catenin mutated in its vinculin-binding site is defective in its ability to rescue cadherin-based adhesion strength in cells lacking αE-catenin. Vinculin depletion or the overexpression of the αE-catenin modulation domain strongly decreases E-cadherin-mediated adhesion strength. This supports the notion that both molecules are required for intercellular contact maturation. Furthermore, stretching of cell doublets increases vinculin recruitment and α18 anti-αE-catenin conformational epitope immunostaining at cell-cell contacts. Taken together, our results indicate that αE-catenin and vinculin cooperatively support intercellular adhesion strengthening, probably via a mechanoresponsive link between the E-cadherin·β-catenin complexes and the underlying actin cytoskeleton. PMID:23266828
Proteomics analysis of E-cadherin knockdown in epithelial breast cancer cells.
Vergara, Daniele; Simeone, Pasquale; Latorre, Dominga; Cascione, Francesca; Leporatti, Stefano; Trerotola, Marco; Giudetti, Anna Maria; Capobianco, Loredana; Lunetti, Paola; Rizzello, Antonia; Rinaldi, Rosaria; Alberti, Saverio; Maffia, Michele
E-cadherin is the core protein of the epithelial adherens junction. Through its cytoplasmic domain, E-cadherin interacts with several signaling proteins; among them, α- and β-catenins mediate the link of E-cadherin to the actin cytoskeleton. Loss of E-cadherin expression is a crucial step of epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) and is involved in cancer invasion and metastatization. In human tumors, down-regulation of E-cadherin is frequently associated with poor prognosis. Despite the critical role of E-cadherin in cancer progression, little is known about proteome alterations linked with its down-regulation. To address this point, we investigated proteomics, biophysical and functional changes of epithelial breast cancer cell lines upon shRNA-mediated stable knockdown of E-cadherin expression (shEcad). shEcad cells showed a distinct proteomic signature including altered expression of enzymes and proteins involved in cytoskeletal dynamic and migration. Moreover, these results suggest that, besides their role in mechanical adhesion, loss of E-cadherin expression may contribute to cancer progression by modifying a complex network of pathways that tightly regulate fundamental processes as oxidative stress, immune evasion and cell metabolism. Altogether, these results extend our knowledge on the cellular modifications associated with E-cadherin down-regulation in breast cancer cells.
Sulforaphane inhibits invasion by phosphorylating ERK1/2 to regulate E-cadherin and CD44v6 in human prostate cancer DU145 cells.
Peng, Xiaohui; Zhou, Yan; Tian, Hua; Yang, Gaoxiang; Li, Chunliu; Geng, Yang; Wu, Sai; Wu, Wei
Advanced prostate cancer has highly invasive potential, which may lead to metastasis associated with poor prognosis. Sulforaphane (SFN), abundant in cruciferous vegetables, exhibited effective resistance to carcinogenesis in a variety of tumors. The aim of the present study was to investigate whether SFN inhibited invasion in human prostate cancer cells via sustained activation of ERK1/2 and downstream signaling by an invasion assay, gelatin zymography and western blot analysis. The results showed that SFN inhibited invasion and we characterized the underlying mechanisms in human DU145 prostate cancer cells. SFN (15 µM) changed cell morphology leading to short‑cell pseudopodia which may suppress tumor migration and invasion. The Transwell assay showed that SFN phosphorylated ERK1/2 in a dose- and time-dependent manner and significantly inhibited cell invasion, while the effect was reduced by the ERK1/2 blocker PD98059 (25 µM). Furthermore, these effects contributed to the upregulation of E-cadherin and the downregulation of CD44v6 and were eradicated by PD98059. Western blot analysis and gelatin zymography showed that SFN decreased the expression and activity of MMP-2. Thus, SFN inhibited invasion by activating ERK1/2 to upregulate E-cadherin and downregulate CD44v6, thereby reducing MMP-2 expression and activity. E-cadherin is an invasion inhibitor, while CD44v6 and MMP-2 are invasion promoters. Therefore, SFN is a prospective therapeutic agent that may be used to prevent invasion in prostate cancer.
E-cadherin dis-engagement activates the Rap1 GTPase
Asuri, Sirisha; Yan, Jingliang; Paranavitana, Nivanka C.; Quilliam, Lawrence A.
E-cadherin based adherens junctions are finely regulated by multiple cellular signaling events. Here we show that the Ras-related Rap1 GTPase is enriched in regions of nascent cell-cell contacts and strengthens E-cadherin junctions: constitutively active Rap1 expressing MDCK cells exhibit increased junctional contact and resisted calcium depletion-induced cell-cell junction disruption. E-cadherin disengagement activated Rap1 and this correlated with E-cadherin association with the Rap GEFs, C3G and PDZ-GEF I. PDZ-GEF I associated with E-cadherin and β-catenin whereas C3G interaction with E-cadherin did not involve β-catenin. Knockdown of PDZ-GEF I in MDCK cells decreased Rap1 activity following E-cadherin junction disruption. We hereby show that Rap1 plays a role in the maintenance and repair of E-cadherin junctions and is activated via an "outside-in" signaling pathway initiated by E-cadherin and mediated at least in part by PDZ-GEF I. PMID:18767072
Restoration of E-cadherin sensitizes human melanoma cells for apoptosis.
Kippenberger, Stefan; Loitsch, Stefan; Thaçi, Diamant; Müller, Jutta; Guschel, Maike; Kaufmann, Roland; Bernd, August
Cell-cell adhesion is considered to be important in the development and maintenance of organ tissue. The spatial association between melanocytes and keratinocytes within human epidermis is achieved by homophilic interaction of E-cadherin molecules located on adjacent cells. In contrast, downregulation of E-cadherin expression in melanoma cells is considered as a key event in metastasis. Besides the adhesive properties, E-cadherin serves as a signal receptor linking to the cadherin-catenin signaling complex. As cadherins act as negative regulators of beta-catenin, a contribution to tumor formation seems likely. In the present study, it was tested whether ectopic expression of E-cadherin triggers apoptosis in human melanoma cell lines (G-361, JPC-298, SK-Mel-13). It was found that restoration of E-cadherin caused sensitization against drug-induced apoptosis. Particularly, the release of mitochondrial cytochrome c was increased in response to staurosporine. Moreover, activation of caspase-3 and caspase-8 was elevated. Similarly, DNA fragmentation, serving as a marker for advanced apoptosis, was amplified in cells transduced with E-cadherin. Interestingly, transduction with an E-cadherin construct lacking the extracellular domain showed no modified apoptosis. In conclusion, our findings suggest therapeutic strategies that enable expression of E-cadherin in order to sensitize human melanoma cells towards apoptosis.
Grhl3 induces human epithelial tumor cell migration and invasion via downregulation of E-cadherin.
Zhao, Pan; Guo, Sijia; Tu, Zhenzhen; Di, Lijun; Zha, Xiaojun; Zhou, Haisheng; Zhang, Xuejun
Grainyhead genes are involved in wound healing and developmental neural tube closure. Metastasis is a multistep process during which cancer cells disseminate from the site of primary tumors and establish secondary tumors in distant organs. The adhesion protein E-cadherin plays an essential role in metastasis. In light of the high degree of similarity between the epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) occurring in wound-healing processes and the EMT occurring during the acquisition of invasiveness in skin or breast cancer, we investigated the role of the Grainyhead genes in cancer invasion. Here, we show that there is an inverse relationship between Grainyhead-like 3 (Grhl3) and E-cadherin expression in some epithelial tumor cell lines. Overexpression of Grhl3 in the E-cadherin-positive epithelial tumor cell line, characterized by less invasiveness, generated a transcriptional blockage of the E-cadherin gene and promoted cell migration and cell invasion. Conversely, Grhl3 depletion inhibited cell migration and cell invasion and was associated with a gain of E-cadherin expression. To further explore the mechanism by which Grhl3 regulated E-cadherin expression, an E-cadherin promoter report analysis was performed and results showed that Grhl3 repressed E-cadherin gene expression by directly or indirectly binding to the E-boxes present in the proximal E-cadherin promoter. Taken together, our findings define a major role for Grhl3 in the induction of migration and invasion by the downregulation of E-cadherin in cancer cells.
Reduction in E-cadherin expression fosters migration of Xenopus laevis primordial germ cells.
Baronsky, Thilo; Dzementsei, Aliaksandr; Oelkers, Marieelen; Melchert, Juliane; Pieler, Tomas; Janshoff, Andreas
The transition from passive to active migration of primordial germ cells in Xenopus embryos correlates with a reduction in overall adhesion to surrounding endodermal cells as well as with reduced E-cadherin expression. Single cell force spectroscopy, in which cells are brought into brief contact with a gold surface functionalized with E-cadherin constructs, allows for a quantitative estimate of functional E-cadherin molecules on the cell surface. The adhesion force between migratory PGCs and the cadherin-coated surface was almost identical to cells where E-cadherin was knocked down by morpholino oligonucleotides (180 pN). In contrast, non-migratory PGCs display significantly higher adhesion forces (270 pN) on E-cadherin functionalised surfaces. On the basis of these observations, we propose that migration of PGCs in Xenopus embryos is regulated via modulation of E-cadherin expression levels, allowing these cells to move more freely if the level of E-cadherin is reduced.
α-Mangostin suppresses lipopolysaccharide-induced invasion by inhibiting matrix metalloproteinase-2/9 and increasing E-cadherin expression through extracellular signal-regulated kinase signaling in pancreatic cancer cells
Invasion and metastasis are major factors in the poor prognosis of pancreatic cancer, which remains one of the most aggressive and lethal diseases worldwide. α-mangostin, a major xanthone compound identified in the pericarp of mangosteen (Garcinia mangostana, Linn; GML), possesses unique biological activities, including antioxidant, antitumor and anti-inflammatory effects. Whether α-mangostin is able to inhibit the invasive ability of pancreatic cancer cells has not been elucidated. In the present study, α-mangostin was shown to inhibit the invasive ability of the pancreatic cancer cell lines MIAPaCa-2 and BxPC-3. The results showed that α-mangostin inhibited the growth of the pancreatic cancer cells in a dose- and time-dependent manner. At concentrations of <5 μM, α-mangostin had no significant effects on cytotoxicity, but significantly inhibited the invasion and migration of pancreatic cancer cells and the expression of matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-2 and MMP-9, while increasing the expression of E-cadherin. The present data also showed that α-mangostin exerted an inhibitory effect on the phosphorylation of extracellular-signal-regulated kinase (ERK). Furthermore, the reduction of ERK phosphorylation by small interfering RNA (siRNA) potentiated the effect of α-mangostin. Taken together, the data suggest that α-mangostin inhibited the invasion and metastasis of pancreatic cancer cells by reducing MMP-2 and MMP-9 expression, increasing E-cadherin expression and suppressing the ERK signaling pathway. The present study suggests that α-mangostin may be a promising agent against pancreatic cancer. PMID:23833675
Slug-upregulated miR-221 promotes breast cancer progression through suppressing E-cadherin expression
Pan, Yi; Li, Jing; Zhang, Yaqin; Wang, Nan; Liang, Hongwei; Liu, Yuan; Zhang, Chen-Yu; Zen, Ke; Gu, Hongwei
It is generally regarded that E-cadherin is downregulated during tumorigenesis via Snail/Slug-mediated E-cadherin transcriptional reduction. However, this transcriptional suppressive mechanism cannot explain the failure of producing E-cadherin protein in metastatic breast cancer cells after overexpressing E-cadherin mRNA. Here we reveal a novel mechanism that E-cadherin is post-transcriptionally regulated by Slug-promoted miR-221, which serves as an additional blocker for E-cadherin expression in metastatic tumor cells. Profiling the predicted E-cadherin-targeting miRNAs in breast cancer tissues and cells showed that miR-221 was abundantly expressed in breast tumor and metastatic MDA-MB-231 cells and its level was significantly higher in breast tumor or MDA-MB-231 cells than in distal non-tumor tissue and low-metastatic MCF-7 cells, respectively. MiR-221, which level inversely correlated with E-cadherin level in breast cancer cells, targeted E-cadherin mRNA open reading frame (ORF) and suppressed E-cadherin protein expression. Depleting or increasing miR-221 level in breast cancer cells induced or decreased E-cadherin protein level, leading to suppressing or promoting tumor cell progression, respectively. Moreover, miR-221 was specifically upregulated by Slug but not Snail. TGF-β treatment enhanced Slug activity and thus increased miR-221 level in MCF-7 cells. In summary, our results provide the first evidence that Slug-upregulated miR-221 promotes breast cancer progression via reducing E-cadherin expression. PMID:27174021
Hakai, an E3-ligase for E-cadherin, stabilizes δ-catenin through Src kinase.
Shrestha, Hridaya; Ryu, Taeyong; Seo, Young-Woo; Park, So-Yeon; He, Yongfeng; Dai, Weiye; Park, Eunsook; Simkhada, Shishli; Kim, Hangun; Lee, Keesook; Kim, Kwonseop
Hakai ubiquitinates and induces endocytosis of the E-cadherin complex; thus, modulating cell adhesion and regulating development of the epithelial-mesenchymal transition of metastasis. Our previous published data show that δ-catenin promotes E-cadherin processing and thereby activates β-catenin-mediated oncogenic signals. Although several published data show the interactions between δ-catenin and E-cadherin and between Hakai and E-cadherin separately, we found no published report on the relationship between δ-catenin and Hakai. In this report, we show Hakai stabilizes δ-catenin regardless of its E3 ligase activity. We show that Hakai and Src increase the stability of δ-catenin synergistically. Hakai stabilizes Src and Src, which in turn, inhibits binding between glycogen synthase kinase-3β and δ-catenin, resulting in less proteosomal degradation of δ-catenin. These results suggest that stabilization of δ-catenin by Hakai is dependent on Src.
Expression and potential correlation among Forkhead box protein M1, Caveolin-1 and E-cadherin in colorectal cancer
Zhang, Jing; Zhang, Kundong; Zhou, Lisheng; Wu, Weidong; Jiang, Tao; Cao, Jun; Huang, Kejian; Qiu, Zhengjun; Huang, Chen
The aim of the present study was to investigate the expression and functions of Forkhead box protein M1 (FoxM1), Caveolin-1 (Cav-1) and E-cadherin in colorectal cancer (CRC), and to determine the correlations among these proteins in CRC development and progression. The protein expression of FoxM1, Cav-1 and E-cadherin was identified using a human CRC and normal tissue microarray. A standard immunohistochemistry assay was performed employing anti-FoxM1, anti-Cav-1 and anti-E-cadherin antibodies. The clinicopathological significance of FoxM1, Cav-1 and E-cadherin in CRC was determined, and correlations were investigated between FoxM1 and Cav-1, FoxM1 and E-cadherin, Cav-1 and E-cadherin, respectively. The level of FoxM1, Cav-1 and E-Cadherin protein expression in CRC was found to be associated with pathological grade, tumor clinical stages and the presence of metastasis, respectively. Elevated expression of FoxM1 and Cav-1 was observed in the CRC tissues, and a significant correlation was found between the two proteins in CRC. However, it was also observed that FoxM1 was overexpressed while E-cadherin expression was low, indicating that there was a negative correlation between FoxM1 expression and E-cadherin expression. Moreover, there was also a negative correlation between Cav-1 and E-cadherin expression. Overall, the elevated expression of FoxM1 and Cav-1 in a human CRC microarray provided novel clinical evidence to elucidate the fact that they may play a critical role in the development and progression of CRC by negatively regulating E-cadherin expression. Furthermore, the positive correlation between FoxM1 and Cav-1 suggested that the proteins may constitute a novel signaling pathway in human CRC. PMID:27698803
Novel peptides for deciphering structural and signalling functions of E-cadherin in mouse embryonic stem cells
Segal, Joe M.; Ward, Christopher M.
We have previously shown that E-cadherin regulates the naive pluripotent state of mouse embryonic stem cells (mESCs) by enabling LIF-dependent STAT3 phosphorylation, with E-cadherin null mESCs exhibiting over 3000 gene transcript alterations and a switch to Activin/Nodal-dependent pluripotency. However, elucidation of the exact mechanisms associated with E-cadherin function in mESCs is compounded by the difficulty in delineating the structural and signalling functions of this protein. Here we show that mESCs treated with the E-cadherin neutralising antibody DECMA-1 or the E-cadherin binding peptide H-SWELYYPLRANL-NH2 (Epep) exhibit discrete profiles for pluripotent transcripts and NANOG protein expression, demonstrating that the type of E-cadherin inhibitor employed dictates the cellular phenotype of mESCs. Alanine scanning mutation of Epep revealed residues critical for Tbx3, Klf4 and Esrrb transcript repression, cell-cell contact abrogation, cell survival in suspension, STAT3 phosphorylation and water solubility. STAT3 phosphorylation was found to be independent of loss of cell-cell contact and Activin/Nodal-dependent pluripotency and a peptide is described that enhances STAT3 phosphorylation and Nanog transcript and protein expression in mESCs. These peptides represent a useful resource for deciphering the structural and signalling functions of E-cadherin and demonstrate that complete absence of E-cadherin protein is likely required for hierarchical signalling pathway alterations in mESCs. PMID:28169326
E-cadherin junction formation involves an active kinetic nucleation process
Biswas, Kabir H.; Hartman, Kevin L.; Yu, Cheng -han; Harrison, Oliver J.; Song, Hang; Smith, Adam W.; Huang, William Y. C.; Lin, Wan -Chen; Guo, Zhenhuan; Padmanabhan, Anup; Troyanovsky, Sergey M.; Dustin, Michael L.; Shapiro, Lawrence; Honig, Barry; Zaidel-Bar, Ronen; Groves, Jay T.
Epithelial (E)-cadherin-mediated cell–cell junctions play important roles in the development and maintenance of tissue structure in multicellular organisms. E-cadherin adhesion is thus a key element of the cellular microenvironment that provides both mechanical and biochemical signaling inputs. Here, we report in vitro reconstitution of junction-like structures between native E-cadherin in living cells and the extracellular domain of E-cadherin in a supported membrane. Junction formation in this hybrid live cell-supported membrane configuration requires both active processes within the living cell and a supported membrane with low E-cad-ECD mobility. The hybrid junctions recruit α-catenin and exhibit remodeled cortical actin. Observations suggest that the initial stages of junction formation in this hybrid system depend on the trans but not the cis interactions between E-cadherin molecules, and proceed via a nucleation process in which protrusion and retraction of filopodia play a key role.
E-cadherin junction formation involves an active kinetic nucleation process
Biswas, Kabir H.; Hartman, Kevin L.; Yu, Cheng -han; ...
Epithelial (E)-cadherin-mediated cell–cell junctions play important roles in the development and maintenance of tissue structure in multicellular organisms. E-cadherin adhesion is thus a key element of the cellular microenvironment that provides both mechanical and biochemical signaling inputs. Here, we report in vitro reconstitution of junction-like structures between native E-cadherin in living cells and the extracellular domain of E-cadherin in a supported membrane. Junction formation in this hybrid live cell-supported membrane configuration requires both active processes within the living cell and a supported membrane with low E-cad-ECD mobility. The hybrid junctions recruit α-catenin and exhibit remodeled cortical actin. Observations suggest thatmore » the initial stages of junction formation in this hybrid system depend on the trans but not the cis interactions between E-cadherin molecules, and proceed via a nucleation process in which protrusion and retraction of filopodia play a key role.« less
An aberrant nuclear localization of E-cadherin is a potent inhibitor of Wnt/β-catenin-elicited promotion of the cancer stem cell phenotype
Su, Y-J; Chang, Y-W; Lin, W-H; Liang, C-L; Lee, J-L
Several studies suggest that Wnt signaling contributes to reprogramming and maintenance of cancer stem cell (CSC) states activated by loss of membranous E-cadherin expression. However, E-cadherin's exact role in Wnt/β-catenin-mediated promotion of the CSC phenotype remains unclear. Recently, a significant positive correlation has been observed between the expression of nuclear (an aberrant nuclear localization) E-cadherin and β-catenin in gastric and colorectal carcinomas. Here we conducted a series of in-vitro and in-vivo studies to show that the β-catenin/TCF4 interaction was abolished by E-cadherin and was correlated with its nuclear localization, and consequently decreased β-catenin/TCF4 transcriptional activity. Nuclear E-cadherin was a negative regulator of Wnt/β-Catenin-elicited promotion of the CSC phenotype. Using immunohistochemistry on lung cancer tissue microarrays, we found that changes in subcellular location of E-cadherin may be described by tumor grade and stage, suggesting cellular redistribution during lung tumorigenesis. Furthermore, nuclear E-cadherin expression was more significantly inversely correlated with CD133 (a lung CSC marker) expression (P<0.005) than total E-cadherin expression (P<0.05), suggesting that lung cancer as defined by nuclear E-cadherinLow/nuclear β-cateninHigh/CD133High biomarkers has superior prognostic value over total E-cadherinLow/nuclear β-cateninHigh/CD133High. PMID:26075748
E-cadherin Controls Bronchiolar Progenitor Cells and Onset of Preneoplastic Lesions in Mice12
Ceteci, Fatih; Ceteci, Semra; Zanucco, Emanuele; Thakur, Chitra; Becker, Matthias; El-Nikhely, Nefertiti; Fink, Ludger; Seeger, Werner; Savai, Rajkumar; Rapp, Ulf R
Although progenitor cells of the conducting airway have been spatially localized and some insights have been gained regarding their molecular phenotype, relatively little is known about the mechanisms regulating their maintenance, activation, and differentiation. This study investigates the potential roles of E-cadherin in mouse Clara cells, as these cells were shown to represent the progenitor/stem cells of the conducting airways and have been implicated as the cell of origin of human non-small cell lung cancer. Postnatal inactivation of E-cadherin affected Clara cell differentiation and compromised airway regeneration under injury conditions. In steady-state adult lung, overexpression of the dominant negative E-cadherin led to an expansion of the bronchiolar stem cells and decreased differentiation concomitant with canonical Wnt signaling activation. Expansion of the bronchiolar stem cell pool was associated with an incessant proliferation of neuroepithelial body.associated Clara cells that ultimately gave rise to bronchiolar hyperplasia. Despite progressive hyperplasia, only a minority of the mice developed pulmonary solid tumors, suggesting that the loss of E-cadherin function leads to tumor formation when additional mutations are sustained. The present study reveals that E-cadherin plays a critical role in the regulation of proliferation and homeostasis of the epithelial cells lining the conducting airways. PMID:23308049
Actomyosin contractility provokes contact inhibition in E-cadherin-ligated keratinocytes.
Hirata, Hiroaki; Samsonov, Mikhail; Sokabe, Masahiro
Confluence-dependent inhibition of epithelial cell proliferation, termed contact inhibition, is crucial for epithelial homeostasis and organ size control. Here we report that among epithelial cells, keratinocytes, which compose the stratified epithelium in the skin, possess a unique, actomyosin-dependent mechanism for contact inhibition. We have observed that under actomyosin-inhibited conditions, cell-cell contact itself through E-cadherin promotes proliferation of keratinocytes. Actomyosin activity in confluent keratinocytes, however, inhibits nuclear localization of β-catenin and YAP, and causes attenuation of β-catenin- and YAP-driven cell proliferation. Confluent keratinocytes develop E-cadherin-mediated punctate adhesion complexes, to which radial actin cables are connected. Eliminating the actin-to-E-cadherin linkage by depleting α-catenin increases proliferation of confluent keratinocytes. By contrast, enforced activation of RhoA-regulated actomyosin or external application of pulling force to ligated E-cadherin attenuates their proliferation, suggesting that tensile stress at E-cadherin-mediated adhesion complexes inhibits proliferation of confluent keratinocytes. Our results highlight actomyosin contractility as a crucial factor that provokes confluence-dependent inhibition of keratinocyte proliferation.
Distinct roles of cadherin-6 and E-cadherin in tubulogenesis and lumen formation.
Jia, Liwei; Liu, Fengming; Hansen, Steen H; Ter Beest, Martin B A; Zegers, Mirjam M P
Classic cadherins are important regulators of tissue morphogenesis. The predominant cadherin in epithelial cells, E-cadherin, has been extensively studied because of its critical role in normal epithelial development and carcinogenesis. Epithelial cells may also coexpress other cadherins, but their roles are less clear. The Madin Darby canine kidney (MDCK) cell line has been a popular mammalian model to investigate the role of E-cadherin in epithelial polarization and tubulogenesis. However, MDCK cells also express relatively high levels of cadherin-6, and it is unclear whether the functions of this cadherin are redundant to those of E-cadherin. We investigate the specific roles of both cadherins using a knockdown approach. Although we find that both cadherins are able to form adherens junctions at the basolateral surface, we show that they have specific and mutually exclusive roles in epithelial morphogenesis. Specifically, we find that cadherin-6 functions as an inhibitor of tubulogenesis, whereas E-cadherin is required for lumen formation. Ablation of cadherin-6 leads to the spontaneous formation of tubules, which depends on increased phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K) activity. In contrast, loss of E-cadherin inhibits lumen formation by a mechanism independent of PI3K.
E-cadherin and APC compete for the interaction with beta-catenin and the cytoskeleton
beta-Catenin is involved in the formation of adherens junctions of mammalian epithelia. It interacts with the cell adhesion molecule E- cadherin and also with the tumor suppressor gene product APC, and the Drosophila homologue of beta-catenin, armadillo, mediates morphogenetic signals. We demonstrate here that E-cadherin and APC directly compete for binding to the internal, armadillo-like repeats of beta-catenin; the NH2-terminal domain of beta-catenin mediates the interaction of the alternative E-cadherin and APC complexes to the cytoskeleton by binding to alpha-catenin. Plakoglobin (gamma-catenin), which is structurally related to beta-catenin, mediates identical interactions. We thus show that the APC tumor suppressor gene product forms strikingly similar associations as found in cell junctions and suggest that beta-catenin and plakoglobin are central regulators of cell adhesion, cytoskeletal interaction, and tumor suppression. PMID:7806582
Cloning and characterization of the human invasion suppressor gene E-cadherin (CDH1)
Berx, G.; Staes, K.; Hengel, J. van
E-cadherin is a Ca{sup 2+}-dependent epithelial cell-cell adhesion molecule. Downregulation of E-cadherin expression often correlates with strong invasive potential and poor prognosis of human carcinomas. By using recombinant {lambda} phage, cosmid, and P1 phage clones, we isolated the full-length human E-cadherin gene (CDH1). The gene spans a region of approximately 100 kb, and its location on chromosome 16q22.1 was confirmed by FISH analysis. Detailed restriction mapping and partial sequence analysis of the gene allowed us to identify 16 exons and a 65-kb-long intron 2. The intron-exon boundaries are highly conserved in comparison with other {open_quotes}classical cadherins.{close_quotes} In intron 1 we identified a high-density CpG island that may be implicated in transcription regulation during embryogenesis and malignancy. 52 refs., 2 figs., 2 tabs.
E-cadherin roles in animal biology: A perspective on thyroid hormone-influence.
Izaguirre, María Fernanda; Casco, Victor Hugo
The establishment, remodeling and maintenance of tissular architecture during animal development, and even across juvenile to adult life, are deeply regulated by a delicate interplay of extracellular signals, cell membrane receptors and intracellular signal messengers. It is well known that cell adhesion molecules (cell-cell and cell-extracellular matrix) play a critical role in these processes. Particularly, adherens junctions (AJs) mediated by E-cadherin and catenins determine cell-cell contact survival and epithelia function. Consequently, this review seeks to encompass the complex and prolific knowledge about E-cadherin roles during physiological and pathological states, particularly focusing on the influence exerted by the thyroid hormone (TH).
Adhesion in Mammary Development: Novel Roles for E-Cadherin in Individual and Collective Cell Migration
Shamir, Eliah R.; Ewald, Andrew J.
Epithelial tissues are essential for barrier function, secretion, and regulation of fluid transport. Their function requires cell polarity and cell–cell adhesion, mediated through intercellular junctions. Conversely, disruption of adhesion and polarity is thought to drive cancer progression. The mammary gland is an important model for cell adhesion due to its postnatal hormonally regulated development; ducts undergo branching morphogenesis in response to steroid hormones during puberty. These hormonal signals induce a transition from simple to stratified architecture, initiated by asymmetric luminal cell divisions. Ductal elongation is accomplished by this multilayered, low-polarity epithelium, and polarity is reestablished as elongation ceases. The requirement for cell adhesion has been tested in 3D culture and in vivo, using gene deletion, knockdown, and misexpression in both developmental and homeostatic contexts. Attention has focused on E-cadherin, the major classical cadherin in luminal epithelial cells. Classic studies revealed a requirement for E-cadherin during lactation, and E-cadherin loss is widely posited to promote metastasis. However, recent findings demonstrated a broader requirement for E-cadherin during branching morphogenesis and homeostasis and also, surprisingly, in epithelial dissemination. These studies suggest that longstanding models of the role of adhesion in epithelial biology need to be revisited. Advances in inducible gene expression and knockdown, CRISPR/Cas9 technology, and fluorescent labeling of genetically modified cells offer the opportunity to test the roles of diverse adhesion systems and to develop a mechanistic understanding of how cell adhesion regulates development and cancer. PMID:25733146
Smoking induces epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition in non-small cell lung cancer through HDAC-mediated downregulation of E-cadherin.
Nagathihalli, Nagaraj S; Massion, Pierre P; Gonzalez, Adriana L; Lu, Pengcheng; Datta, Pran K
Epidemiological studies have shown that most cases of lung cancers (85%-90%) are directly attributable to tobacco smoking. Although association between cigarette smoking and lung cancer is well documented, surprisingly little is known about the molecular mechanisms of how smoking is involved in epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) through epigenetic changes. Here, we show that lung cancer patients with a smoking history have low E-cadherin levels and loss of E-cadherin is a poor prognostic factor in smokers. Moreover, the downregulation of E-cadherin correlates with the number of pack years. In an attempt to determine the role of long-term cigarette smoking on EMT, we observed that treatment of lung cell lines with cigarette smoke condensate (CSC) induces EMT through downregulation of epithelial markers, including E-cadherin and upregulation of mesenchymal markers. CSC decreases E-cadherin expression at the transcriptional level through upregulation of LEF1 and Slug, and knockdown of these two proteins increases E-cadherin expression. Importantly, chromatin immunoprecipitation assays suggest that LEF-1 and Slug binding to E-cadherin promoter is important for CSC-mediated downregulation of E-cadherin. The histone deacetylase (HDAC) inhibitor MS-275 reverses CSC-induced EMT, migration, and invasion through the restoration of E-cadherin expression. These results suggest that recruitment of HDACs by transcriptional repressors LEF-1 and Slug is responsible for E-cadherin suppression and EMT in cigarette smokers and provide a potential drug target toward the treatment of lung cancer.
p120 Catenin-Mediated Stabilization of E-Cadherin Is Essential for Primitive Endoderm Specification
Haenebalcke, Lieven; Stryjewska, Agata; De Rycke, Riet; Lemeire, Kelly; Huylebroeck, Danny; Stemmler, Marc P.; Wirth, Dagmar; Haigh, Jody J.; van Hengel, Jolanda; van Roy, Frans
E-cadherin-mediated cell-cell adhesion is critical for naive pluripotency of cultured mouse embryonic stem cells (mESCs). E-cadherin-depleted mESC fail to downregulate their pluripotency program and are unable to initiate lineage commitment. To further explore the roles of cell adhesion molecules during mESC differentiation, we focused on p120 catenin (p120ctn). Although one key function of p120ctn is to stabilize and regulate cadherin-mediated cell-cell adhesion, it has many additional functions, including regulation of transcription and Rho GTPase activity. Here, we investigated the role of mouse p120ctn in early embryogenesis, mESC pluripotency and early fate determination. In contrast to the E-cadherin-null phenotype, p120ctn-null mESCs remained pluripotent, but their in vitro differentiation was incomplete. In particular, they failed to form cystic embryoid bodies and showed defects in primitive endoderm formation. To pinpoint the underlying mechanism, we undertook a structure-function approach. Rescue of p120ctn-null mESCs with different p120ctn wild-type and mutant expression constructs revealed that the long N-terminal domain of p120ctn and its regulatory domain for RhoA were dispensable, whereas its armadillo domain and interaction with E-cadherin were crucial for primitive endoderm formation. We conclude that p120ctn is not only an adaptor and regulator of E-cadherin, but is also indispensable for proper lineage commitment. PMID:27556156
Characterization of E-cadherin-dependent and -independent events in a new model of c-Fos-mediated epithelial-mesenchymal transition
Mejlvang, Jakob; Kriajevska, Marina; Berditchevski, Fedor; Bronstein, Igor; Lukanidin, Eugene M.; Pringle, J. Howard; Mellon, J. Kilian; Tulchinsky, Eugene M. . E-mail: firstname.lastname@example.com
Fos proteins have been implicated in control of tumorigenesis-related genetic programs including invasion, angiogenesis, cell proliferation and apoptosis. In this study, we demonstrate that c-Fos is able to induce mesenchymal transition in murine tumorigenic epithelial cell lines. Expression of c-Fos in MT1TC1 cells led to prominent alterations in cell morphology, increased expression of mesenchymal markers, vimentin and S100A4, DNA methylation-dependent down-regulation of E-cadherin and abrogation of cell-cell adhesion. In addition, c-Fos induced a strong {beta}-catenin-independent proliferative response in MT1TC1 cells and stimulated cell motility, invasion and adhesion to different extracellular matrix proteins. To explore whether loss of E-cadherin plays a role in c-Fos-mediated mesenchymal transition, we expressed wild-type E-cadherin and two different E-cadherin mutants in MT1TC1/c-fos cells. Expression of wild-type E-cadherin restored epithelioid morphology and enhanced cellular levels of catenins. However, exogenous E-cadherin did not influence expression of c-Fos-dependent genes, only partly suppressed growth of MT1TC1/c-fos cells and produced no effect on c-Fos-stimulated cell motility and invasion in matrigel. On the other hand, re-expression of E-cadherin specifically negated c-Fos-induced adhesion to collagen type I, but not to laminin or fibronectin. Of interest, mutant E-cadherin which lacks the ability to form functional adhesive complexes had an opposite, potentiating effect on cell adhesion to collagen I. These data suggest that cell adhesion to collagen I is regulated by the functional state of E-cadherin. Overall, our data demonstrate that, with the exception of adhesion to collagen I, c-Fos is dominant over E-cadherin in relation to the aspects of mesenchymal transition assayed in this study.
Liver protects metastatic prostate cancer from induced death by activating E-cadherin signaling.
Ma, Bo; Wheeler, Sarah E; Clark, Amanda M; Whaley, Diana L; Yang, Min; Wells, Alan
Liver is one of the most common sites of cancer metastasis. Once disseminated, the prognosis is poor as these tumors often display generalized chemoresistance, particularly for carcinomas that derive not from the aerodigestive tract. When these cancers seed the liver, the aggressive cells usually undergo a mesenchymal to epithelial reverting transition that both aids colonization and renders the tumor cells chemoresistant. In vitro studies demonstrate that hepatocytes drive this phenotypic shift. However, the in vivo evidence and the molecular signals that protect these cells from induced death are yet to be defined. Herein, we report that membrane surface E-cadherin-expressing prostate cancer cells were resistant to cell death by chemotherapeutic drugs but E-cadherin null cells or those expressing E-cadherin only in the cytoplasm were sensitive to death signals and chemotherapies both in vitro and in vivo. While cell-cell E-cadherin ligandation reduced mitogenesis, this chemoprotection was proliferation-independent as killing of both 5-ethynyl-2'-deoxyuridine-positive (or Ki67(+) ) and 5-ethynyl-2'-deoxyuridine-negative (Ki67(-) ) cells was inversely related to membrane-bound E-cadherin. Inhibiting the canonical survival kinases extracellular signal-regulated protein kinases, protein kinase B, and Janus kinase, which are activated by chemotherapeutics in epithelial cell-transitioned prostate cancer, abrogated the chemoresistance both in cell culture and in animal models of metastatic cancer. For disseminated tumors, protein kinase B disruption in itself had no effect on tumor survival but was synergistic with chemotherapy, leading to increased killing.
Acute and chronic cadmium exposure promotes E-cadherin degradation in MCF7 breast cancer cells.
Ponce, Esmeralda; Louie, Maggie C; Sevigny, Mary B
Cadmium is an environmental carcinogen that usually enters the body at minute concentrations through diet or cigarette smoke and bioaccumulates in soft tissues. In past studies, cadmium has been shown to contribute to the development of more aggressive cancer phenotypes including increased cell migration and invasion. This study aims to determine if cadmium exposure-both acute and chronic-contributes to breast cancer progression by interfering with the normal functional relationship between E-cadherin and β-catenin. An MCF7 breast cancer cell line (MCF7-Cd) chronically exposed to 10(-7) M CdCl2 was previously developed and used as a model system to study chronic exposures, whereas parental MCF7 cells exposed to 10(-6) M CdCl2 for short periods of time were used to study acute exposures. Cadmium exposure of MCF7 cells led to the degradation of the E-cadherin protein via the ubiquitination pathway. This resulted in fewer E-cadherin/β-catenin complexes and the relocation of active β-catenin to the nucleus, where it interacted with transcription factor TCF-4 to modulate gene expression. Interestingly, only cells chronically exposed to cadmium showed a significant decrease in the localization of β-catenin to the plasma membrane and an increased distance between cells. Our data suggest that cadmium exposure promotes breast cancer progression by (1) down-regulating E-cadherin, thus decreasing the number of E-cadherin/β-catenin adhesion complexes, and (2) enhancing the nuclear translocation of β-catenin to increase expression of cancer-promoting proteins (i.e., c-Jun and cyclin D1).
E-cadherin Expression in Ovarian Cancer in the Laying Hen, Gallus Domesticus, compared to Human Ovarian Cancer
Ansenberger, Kristine; Zhuge, Yan; Lagman, Jo Ann J.; Richards, Cassandra; Barua, Animesh; Bahr, Janice M.; Hales, Dale Buchanan
Objective Epithelial ovarian carcinoma (EOC) is a leading cause of cancer deaths in women. Until recently, a significant lack of an appropriate animal model has hindered the discovery of early detection markers for ovarian cancer. The aging hen serves as an animal model because it spontaneously develops ovarian adenocarcinomas similar in histological appearance to the human disease. E-cadherin is an adherens protein that is down-regulated in many cancers, but has been shown to be up-regulated in primary human ovarian cancer. Our objective was to evaluate E-cadherin expression in the hen ovary and compare its expression to human ovarian cancer. Methods White Leghorn hens aged 185 weeks (cancerous and normal) were used for sample collection. A human ovarian tumor tissue array was used for comparison to the human disease. E-cadherin mRNA and protein expression were analyzed in cancerous and normal hen ovaries by immunohistochemistry (IHC), Western blot, and quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR). Tissue fixed in neutral buffered formalin was used for IHC. Protein from tissue frozen in liquid nitrogen was analyzed by Western blot. RNA was extracted from tissue preserved in RNAlater and analyzed by qRT-PCR. The human ovarian tumor tissue array was used for IHC. Results E-cadherin mRNA and protein expression were significantly increased in cancerous hen ovaries as compared to ovaries of normal hens by qRT-PCR and Western blot. Similar expression of E-cadherin was observed by IHC in both human and hen ovarian cancer tissues. Similar E-cadherin expression was also observed in primary ovarian tumor and peritoneal metastatic tissue from cancerous hens. Conclusions Our findings suggest that the up-regulation of E-cadherin is an early defining event in ovarian cancer and may play a significant role in the initial development of the primary ovarian tumor. E-cadherin also appears to be important in the development of secondary tumors within the peritoneal cavity. Our data suggest
Cdc42-Interacting Protein 4 Represses E-Cadherin Expression by Promoting β-Catenin Translocation to the Nucleus in Murine Renal Tubular Epithelial Cells.
Xu, Chuou; Zhou, Qiaodan; Liu, Lili; Liu, Ping; Pei, Guangchang; Zeng, Rui; Han, Min; Xu, Gang
Renal fibrosis is an inevitable outcome of end-stage chronic kidney disease. During this process, epithelial cells lose E-cadherin expression. β-Catenin may act as a mediator by accumulation and translocation to the nucleus. Studies have suggested that CIP4, a Cdc42 effector protein, is associated with β-catenin. However, whether CIP4 contributes to E-cadherin loss in epithelial cells by regulating β-catenin translocation is unclear. In this study, we investigated the involvement of CIP4 in β-catenin translocation. Expression of CIP4 was upregulated in renal tissues of 5/6 nephrectomized rats and mainly distributed in renal tubular epithelia. In TGF-β1-treated NRK-52E cells, upregulation of CIP4 expression was accompanied by reduced expression of E-cadherin. CIP4 overexpression promoted the translocation of β-catenin to the nucleus, which was accompanied by reduced expression of E-cadherin even without TGF-β1 stimulation. In contrast, CIP4 depletion by using siRNA inhibited the translocation of β-catenin to the nucleus and reversed the decrease in expression of E-cadherin. The interaction between CIP4 and β-catenin was detected. We also show that β-catenin depletion could restore the expression of E-cadherin that was suppressed by CIP4 overexpression. In conclusion, these results suggest that CIP4 overexpression represses E-cadherin expression by promoting β-catenin translocation to the nucleus.
Aquaporin 3 and E-Cadherin Expression in Perilesional Vitiligo Skin
Hagag, Magda Mostafa; Kandil, Mona Abd El Halim; Shehata, Wafaa Ahmed
Disease Activity (VIDA) score. Conclusion The following sequence of events can be suggested for vitiligo pathogenesis, based on findings in perilesional skin: AQP3 is downregulated by a primary unknown factor and this will lead to down regulation of its downstream molecules, mainly phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase, E-cadherin and catenins, which is followed by defective keratinocyte adhesion and decreased release of keratinocyte-derived growth factors. Subsequently a secondary event, physical trauma, oxidative stress or autoantibodies, may lead to exfoliation of keratinocytes and pigmented cells. PMID:28208984
E-cadherin downregulation in cancer: fuel on the fire?
Guilford, P
The development, maintenance and repair of tissue requires an exquisite balance between cell proliferation, cell adhesion and cell motility. Equally, tumour initiation and progression are characterized by not only the abnormal expression of genes involved in cell proliferation and survival but also by genes responsible for the control of cell adhesion and cell motility. Central to the process of cell-cell adhesion in epithelial tissues is E-cadherin. Loss of E-cadherin function in tumours results in the rapid progression of relatively benign adenomas to invasive, metastatic carcinomas. Germline mutation of the E-cadherin gene predisposes to diffuse, poorly differentiated gastric cancer, and its downregulation in sporadic tumours is associated with poor clinical prognosis.
Cis and Trans Cooperativity of E-Cadherin Mediates Adhesion in Biomimetic Lipid Droplets
Pontani, Lea-Laetitia; Jorjadze, Ivane; Brujic, Jasna
The regulation of cell-cell adhesion is important in cell motility, tissue growth, and for the mechanical integrity of tissues. Although the role of active cytoskeleton dynamics in regulating cadherin interactions is crucial in vivo, here we present a biomimetic emulsion system to characterize the passive E-cadherin-mediated adhesion between droplets. The visualization of a three-dimensional assembly of lipid droplets, functionalized with extracellular E-cadherin domains, reveals a hierarchy of homophilic interactions. First, the high interfacial tension of droplets facilitates trans cadherin-cadherin adhesion, which is strong enough to stabilize looser than random close packing configurations. Second, fluorescence enhancement shows that adding clustering agents, such as calcium or chelating ligands, favor the lateral cis adhesion of the already bound cadherin pairs over the clustering of monomer cadherin on the surface. Finally, above a threshold cadherin and calcium concentration, the cis and trans protein interactions become strong enough to trigger and promote droplet fusion. While E-cadherin is not known to participate in cellular fusion, this mechanism is general because replacing calcium with cholesterol to cluster the cadherin-carrying lipids also promotes fusion. These results suggest that passive clustering, via calcium-induced dimerization or membrane ordering, may contribute to the reinforcement of cell-cell contacts. Alternatively, a molecular switch for fusion offers a route to mixing droplet contents and controlling their size in situ. PMID:26789762
Hepatitis C virus represses E-cadherin expression via DNA methylation to induce epithelial to mesenchymal transition in human hepatocytes.
Park, Jungmi; Jang, Kyung Lib
Hepatitis C virus (HCV) core protein is known to induce promoter hypermethylation of tumor suppressor genes including E-cadherin to repress their expression when overexpressed in human hepatocytes; however, its actual role during HCV infection is still unknown. Here, we report that infection with HCV derived from pJFH-1 replicon system that mimics natural infection elevates protein levels of DNA methyltransferase 1 and 3b to enhance DNMT activity in human hepatocytes. As a consequence, HCV induced promoter hypermethylation of E-cadherin, resulting in repression of its expression. In addition down-regulation of E-cadherin by HCV led to epithelial-mesenchymal transition that is known to be a critical event during the late stage of tumorigenesis.
Novel cell lines isolated from mouse embryonic stem cells exhibiting de novo methylation of the E-cadherin promoter.
Hawkins, Kate; Keramari, Maria; Soncin, Francesca; Segal, Joe M; Mohamet, Lisa; Miazga, Natalie; Ritson, Sarah; Bobola, Nicoletta; Merry, Catherine L R; Ward, Christopher M
Mouse embryonic stem cells (mESCs) and epiblast stem cells represent the naïve and primed pluripotent states, respectively. These cells self-renew via distinct signaling pathways and can transition between the two states in the presence of appropriate growth factors. Manipulation of signaling pathways has therefore allowed the isolation of novel pluripotent cell types such as Fibroblast growth factor, Activin and BIO-derived stem cells and IESCs. However, the effect of cell seeding density on pluripotency remains unexplored. In this study, we have examined whether mESCs can epigenetically regulate E-cadherin to enter a primed-like state in response to low cell seeding density. We show that low density seeding in the absence of leukaemia inhibitory factor (LIF) induces decreased apoptosis and maintenance of pluripotency via Activin/Nodal, concomitant with loss of E-cadherin, Signal transducer and activator of transcription phosphorylation, and chimera-forming ability. These cells, E-cadherin negative proliferating stem cells (ENPSCs) can be reverted to a naïve phenotype by addition of LIF or forced E-cadherin expression. However, prolonged culture of ENPSCs without LIF leads to methylation of the E-cadherin promoter (ENPSC(M)), which cannot be reversed by LIF supplementation, and increased histone H3K27 and decreased H3K4 trimethylation. Transcript analysis of ENPSC(M) revealed a primed-like phenotype and their differentiation leads to enrichment of neuroectoderm cells. The generation of ENPSCs is similar to tumorigenesis as ENPSCs exhibit transcript alterations associated with neoplasia, hyperplasia, carcinoma, and metastasis. We therefore describe a novel cell model to elucidate the role of E-cadherin in pluripotency and to investigate epigenetic regulation of this gene during mESC differentiation and tumor metastasis.
DDR1 promotes E-cadherin stability via inhibition of integrin-β1-Src activation-mediated E-cadherin endocytosis
Chen, Hong-Ru; Yeh, Yi-Chun; Liu, Ching-Yi; Wu, Yu-Ting; Lo, Fang-Yu; Tang, Ming-Jer; Wang, Yang-Kao
Discoidin domain receptor 1 (DDR1), a receptor tyrosine kinase of collagen, is primarily expressed in epithelial cells. Activation of DDR1 stabilises E-cadherin located on the cell membrane; however, the detailed mechanism of DDR1-stabilised E-cadherin remains unclear. We performed DDR1 knockdown (Sh-DDR1) on Mardin-Darby canine kidney cells to investigate the mechanism of DDR1-stabilised E-cadherin. Sh-DDR1 decreased junctional localisation, increased endocytosis of E-cadherin, and increased physical interactions between E-cadherin and clathrin. Treatment of the dynamin inhibitor Dyngo 4a suppressed Sh-DDR1-induced E-cadherin endocytosis. In addition, the phosphorylation level of Src tyrosine 418 was increased in Sh-DDR1 cell junctions, and inhibition of Src activity decreased Sh-DDR1-induced E-cadherin endocytosis. To characterise the molecular mechanisms, blocking integrin β1 decreased Src activity and E-cadherin junctional localisation in Sh-DDR1 cells. Photoconversion results showed that inhibition of Src activity rescued E-cadherin membrane stability and that inhibition of integrin β1-Src signalling decreased stress fibres and rescued E-cadherin membrane stability in Sh-DDR1 cells. Taken together, DDR1 stabilised membrane localisation of E-cadherin by inhibiting the integrin β1-Src-mediated clathrin-dependent endocytosis pathway. PMID:27824116
Interleukin-32α induces migration of human melanoma cells through downregulation of E-cadherin
Song, Ju Han; Houh, Younkyung; Kim, Tae Sung; Gil, Minchan; Lee, Kyung Jin; Kim, Seonghan; Kim, Daejin; Hur, Dae Young; Yang, Yoolhee; Bang, Sa Ik; Park, Hyun Jeong; Cho, Daeho
Interleukin (IL)-32α, the shortest isoform of proinflammatory cytokine IL-32, is associated with various inflammatory diseases and cancers. However, its involvement in human melanoma is not understood. To determine the effect of IL-32α in melanoma, IL-32α levels were examined in human melanoma cell lines that exhibit different migratory abilities. IL-32α levels were higher in human melanoma cell lines with more migratory ability. An IL-32α-overexpressing G361 human melanoma cell line was generated to investigate the effect of IL-32α on melanoma migration. IL-32α-overexpressing G361 cells (G361-IL-32α) exhibit an increased migratory ability compared to vector control cells (G361-vector). To identify factors involved in IL-32α-induced migration, we compared expression of E-cadherin in G361-vector and G361-IL-32α cells. We observed decreased levels of E-cadherin in G361-IL-32α cells, resulting in F-actin polymerization. To further investigate signaling pathways related to IL-32α-induced migration, we treated G361-vector and G361-IL-32α cells with PD98059, a selective MEK inhibitor. Inhibition of Erk1/2 by PD98059 restored E-cadherin expression and decreased IL-32α-induced migration. In addition, cell invasiveness of G361-IL-32α cells was tested using an in vivo lung metastasis model. As results, lung metastasis was significantly increased by IL-32α overexpression. Taken together, these data indicate that IL-32α induced human melanoma migration via Erk1/2 activation, which repressed E-cadherin expression. Our findings suggest that IL-32α is a novel regulator of migration in melanoma. PMID:27589563
Interleukin-32α induces migration of human melanoma cells through downregulation of E-cadherin.
Lee, Joohyun; Kim, Kyung Eun; Cheon, Soyoung; Song, Ju Han; Houh, Younkyung; Kim, Tae Sung; Gil, Minchan; Lee, Kyung Jin; Kim, Seonghan; Kim, Daejin; Hur, Dae Young; Yang, Yoolhee; Bang, Sa Ik; Park, Hyun Jeong; Cho, Daeho
Interleukin (IL)-32α, the shortest isoform of proinflammatory cytokine IL-32, is associated with various inflammatory diseases and cancers. However, its involvement in human melanoma is not understood. To determine the effect of IL-32α in melanoma, IL-32α levels were examined in human melanoma cell lines that exhibit different migratory abilities. IL-32α levels were higher in human melanoma cell lines with more migratory ability. An IL-32α-overexpressing G361 human melanoma cell line was generated to investigate the effect of IL-32α on melanoma migration. IL-32α-overexpressing G361 cells (G361-IL-32α) exhibit an increased migratory ability compared to vector control cells (G361-vector). To identify factors involved in IL-32α-induced migration, we compared expression of E-cadherin in G361-vector and G361-IL-32α cells. We observed decreased levels of E-cadherin in G361-IL-32α cells, resulting in F-actin polymerization. To further investigate signaling pathways related to IL-32α-induced migration, we treated G361-vector and G361-IL-32α cells with PD98059, a selective MEK inhibitor. Inhibition of Erk1/2 by PD98059 restored E-cadherin expression and decreased IL-32α-induced migration. In addition, cell invasiveness of G361-IL-32α cells was tested using an in vivo lung metastasis model. As results, lung metastasis was significantly increased by IL-32α overexpression. Taken together, these data indicate that IL-32α induced human melanoma migration via Erk1/2 activation, which repressed E-cadherin expression. Our findings suggest that IL-32α is a novel regulator of migration in melanoma.
Immunohistochemical expression of E-cadherin and β-catenin in feline mammary tumours.
Zappulli, V; De Cecco, S; Trez, D; Caliari, D; Aresu, L; Castagnaro, M
E-cadherin and β-catenin have been studied in carcinogenesis and tumour progression and reduced membrane expression of these molecules in canine mammary tumours has been associated with a poor prognosis. The present study investigated immunohistochemically the expression of E-cadherin and β-catenin in 53 mammary tumours and 48 hyperplastic or dysplastic lesions from 57 queens. E-cadherin and β-catenin expression was membranous in all samples and there was a significant decrease in expression in malignant tumours and metastases. Cytoplasmic expression of both markers was inversely correlated to the membrane localization. β-catenin nuclear labelling was detected in one lymph node metastasis (60% positive cells) and in the basal/myoepithelial cells of 6/7 ductal tumours. No correlation with survival was found for either marker. These results confirm the role of these proteins in maintaining tissue architecture and in inhibiting cell invasiveness and potentially indicate the oncogenic potential of the Wnt/β-catenin transduction pathway in feline mammary tumours. In addition, specific independent expression of β-catenin in the nuclei of basal/myoepithelial cells might suggest that this molecule is involved in regulation of the mammary stem/pluripotent cell component. Further studies should include more cases of benign mammary neoplasia and further investigate β-catenin nuclear expression in ductal tumours.
Effects of Cd{sup 2+} on cis-dimer structure of E-cadherin in living cells
Takeda, Hiroshi
Highlights: • The effects of Cd on the dimer of cadherin in living cells was analyzed. • Cd induced cadherin dimer formation was not detected in living cell with low Ca. • Ca mediated structural cooperativity and allostery in the native cadherin. • Ca concentration-dependent competitive displacement of Cd from cadherin is proposed. - Abstract: E-cadherin, a calcium (Ca{sup 2+})-dependent cell–cell adhesion molecule, plays a key role in the maintenance of tissue integrity. We have previously demonstrated that E-cadherin functions in vivo as a cis-dimer through chemical cross-linking reagents. Ca{sup 2+} plays an important role in the cis-dimer formation of cadherin. However, the molecular mechanisms by which Ca{sup 2+} interacts with the binding sites that regulate cis-dimer structures have not been completely elucidated. As expected for a Ca{sup 2+} antagonist, cadmium (Cd{sup 2+}) disrupts cadherin function by displacing Ca{sup 2+} from its binding sites on the cadherin molecules. We used Cd{sup 2+} as a probe for investigating the role of Ca{sup 2+} in the dynamics of the E-cadherin extracellular region that involve cis-dimer formation and adhesion. While cell–cell adhesion assembly was completely disrupted in the presence of Cd{sup 2+}, the amount of cis-dimers of E-cadherin that formed at the cell surface was not affected. In our "Cd{sup 2+}-switch" experiments, we did not find that Cd{sup 2+}-induced E-cadherin cis-dimer formation in EL cells when they were incubated in low-Ca{sup 2+} medium. In the present study, we demonstrated for the first time the effects of Cd{sup 2+} on the cis-dimer structure of E-cadherin in living cells using a chemical cross-link analysis.
The Role of E-Cadherin in Maintaining the Barrier Function of Corneal Epithelium after Treatment with Cultured Autologous Oral Mucosa Epithelial Cell Sheet Grafts for Limbal Stem Deficiency
Hoft, Richard H.; Wood, Andrew; Oliva, Joan; Niihara, Hope; Makalinao, Andrew; Thropay, Jacquelyn; Pan, Derek; Tiger, Kumar; Garcia, Julio; Laporte, Amanda; French, Samuel W.; Niihara, Yutaka
The role of E-cadherin in epithelial barrier function of cultured autologous oral mucosa epithelial cell sheet (CAOMECS) grafts was examined. CAOMECS were cultured on a temperature-responsive surface and grafted onto rabbit corneas with Limbal Stem Cell Deficiency (LSCD). E-cadherin levels were significantly higher in CAOMECS compared to normal and LSCD epithelium. Beta-catenin colocalized with E-cadherin in CAOMECS cell membranes while phosphorylated beta-catenin was significantly increased. ZO-1, occludin, and Cnx43 were also strongly expressed in CAOMECS. E-cadherin and beta-catenin localization at the cell membrane was reduced in LSCD corneas, while CAOMECS-grafted corneas showed a restoration of E-cadherin and beta-catenin expression. LSCD corneas did not show continuous staining for ZO-1 or for Cnx43, while CAOMECS-grafted corneas showed a positive expression of ZO-1 and Cnx43. Cascade Blue® hydrazide did not pass through CAOMECS. Because E-cadherin interactions are calcium-dependent, EGTA was used to chelate calcium and disrupt cell adhesion. EGTA-treated CAOMECS completely detached from cell culture surface, and E-cadherin levels were significantly decreased. In conclusion, E cadherin high expression contributed to CAOMECS tight and gap junction protein recruitment at the cell membrane, thus promoting cellular adhesion and a functional barrier to protect the ocular surface. PMID:27777792
Cooperativity of E-cadherin and Smad4 Loss to Promote Diffuse-type Gastric Adenocarcinoma and Metastasis
Park, Jun Won; Jang, Seok Hoon; Park, Dong Min; Lim, Na Jung; Deng, Chuxia; Kim, Dae Yong; Green, Jeffrey E.; Kim, Hark Kyun
Loss of E-cadherin (CDH1), Smad4 and p53 have all been shown to play an integral role in gastric, intestinal and breast cancer formation. Compound conditional knockout mice for Smad4, p53, and E-cadherin were generated to define and compare the roles of these genes in gastric, intestinal and breast cancer development by crossing with Pdx-1-Cre, Villin-Cre and MMTV-Cre transgenic mice. Interestingly, gastric adenocarcinoma was significantly more frequent in Pdx-1-Cre;Smad4F/F;Trp53F/F;Cdh1F/+ mice than in Pdx-1-Cre;Smad4F/F;Trp53F/F;Cdh1+/+ mice, demonstrating that Cdh1 heterozygosity accelerates the development and progression of gastric adenocarcinoma, in combination with loss of Smad4 and p53. Pdx-1-Cre;Smad4F/F;Trp53F/F;Cdh1F/+ mice developed gastric adenocarcinomas without E-cadherin expression. However, intestinal and mammary adenocarcinomas with the same genetic background retained E-cadherin expression and were phenotypically similar to mice with both wild-type Cdh1 alleles. Lung metastases were identified in Pdx-1-Cre;Smad4F/F;Trp53F/F;Cdh1F/+ mice, but not in the other genotypes. Nuclear β-catenin accumulation was identified at the invasive tumor front of gastric adenocarcinomas arising in Pdx-1-Cre;Smad4F/F;Trp53F/F;Cdh1F/+ mice. This phenotype was less prominent in mice with intact E-cadherin or Smad4, indicating that the inhibition of β-catenin signaling by E-cadherin or Smad4 down-regulates signaling pathways involved in metastases in Pdx-1-Cre;Smad4F/F;Trp53F/F;Cdh1F/+ mice. Knockdown of β-catenin significantly inhibited migratory activity of Pdx-1-Cre;Smad4F/F;Trp53F/F;Cdh1F/+ cell lines. Thus, loss of E-cadherin and Smad4 cooperate with p53 loss to promote the development and metastatic progression of gastric adenocarcinomas, with similarities to human gastric adenocarcinoma. Implications This study demonstrates that inhibition of β-catenin is a converging node for the anti-metastatic signaling pathways driven by E-cadherin and Smad4 in Pdx-1
ERβ1 inhibits the migration and invasion of breast cancer cells through upregulation of E-cadherin in a Id1-dependent manner
Zhou, Yan; Ming, Jia; Xu, Yan; Zhang, Yi; Jiang, Jun
Highlights: • Expression of ERβ1 was positively correlated with E-cadherin in breast cancer cell. • ERβ1 upregulates E-cadherin expression in breast cancer cell lines. • ERβ1 upregulates E-cadherin expression in a Id1-dependent manner. - Abstract: ERβ1 is a member of the nuclear receptor superfamily of ligand-regulated transcription factors. It plays an important role in regulating the progression of breast cancer. However, the mechanisms of ERβ1 in tumorigenesis, metastasis and prognosis are still not fully clear. In this study, we showed that the expression of ERβ1 was positively correlated with E-cadherin expression in breast cancer cell lines. In addition, we found that ERβ1 upregulates E-cadherin expression in breast cancer cell lines. Furthermore, we also found that ERβ1 inhibits the migration and invasion of breast cancer cells and upregulated E-cadherin expression in a Id1-dependent manner. Taken together, our study provides further understanding of the molecular mechanism of ERβ1 in tumor metastasis and suggests the feasibility of developing novel therapeutic approaches to target Id1 to inhibit breast cancer metastasis.
p38 and a p38-interacting protein are critical for downregulation of E-cadherin during mouse gastrulation.
Zohn, Irene E; Li, Yingqiu; Skolnik, Edward Y; Anderson, Kathryn V; Han, Jiahuai; Niswander, Lee
During vertebrate gastrulation, an epithelial to mesenchymal transition (EMT) is necessary for migration of mesoderm from the primitive streak. We demonstrate that p38 MAP kinase and a p38-interacting protein (p38IP) are critically required for downregulation of E-cadherin during gastrulation. In an ENU-mutagenesis screen we identified the droopy eye (drey) mutation, which affects splicing of p38IP. p38IP(drey) mutant embryos display incompletely penetrant defects in neural tube closure, eye development, and gastrulation. A stronger allele (p38IP(RRK)) exhibits gastrulation defects in which mesoderm migration is defective due to deficiency in E-cadherin protein downregulation in the primitive streak. We show that p38IP binds directly to p38 and is required for p38 activation in vivo. Moreover, both p38 and p38IP are required for E-cadherin downregulation during gastrulation. Finally, p38 regulates E-cadherin protein expression downstream from NCK-interacting kinase (NIK) and independently of the regulation of transcription by Fibroblast Growth Factor (Fgf) signaling and Snail.
Cell division orientation is coupled to cell–cell adhesion by the E-cadherin/LGN complex
Gloerich, Martijn; Bianchini, Julie M.; Siemers, Kathleen A.; Cohen, Daniel J.; Nelson, W. James
Both cell–cell adhesion and oriented cell division play prominent roles in establishing tissue architecture, but it is unclear how they might be coordinated. Here, we demonstrate that the cell–cell adhesion protein E-cadherin functions as an instructive cue for cell division orientation. This is mediated by the evolutionarily conserved LGN/NuMA complex, which regulates cortical attachments of astral spindle microtubules. We show that LGN, which adopts a three-dimensional structure similar to cadherin-bound catenins, binds directly to the E-cadherin cytosolic tail and thereby localizes at cell–cell adhesions. On mitotic entry, NuMA is released from the nucleus and competes LGN from E-cadherin to locally form the LGN/NuMA complex. This mediates the stabilization of cortical associations of astral microtubules at cell–cell adhesions to orient the mitotic spindle. Our results show how E-cadherin instructs the assembly of the LGN/NuMA complex at cell–cell contacts, and define a mechanism that couples cell division orientation to intercellular adhesion. PMID:28045117
BCL6 induces EMT by promoting the ZEB1-mediated transcription repression of E-cadherin in breast cancer cells.
Yu, Jin-Mei; Sun, Wei; Hua, Fang; Xie, Jing; Lin, Heng; Zhou, Dan-Dan; Hu, Zhuo-Wei
B-cell CLL/lymphoma 6 (BCL6), a transcriptional repressor, is involved in the development and progression of breast cancers with uncertain mechanism. The purpose of this study is to investigate the potential effect and mechanism of BCL6 in the regulation of epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT), a critical cellular process for controlling the development and progression of breast cancers. We found that BCL6 promoted invasion, migration and growth by stimulating EMT in breast cancer cells. BCL6 induced EMT by enhancing the expression of transcriptional repressor ZEB1 which bound to the E-cadherin promoter and repressing the E-cadherin transcription. Deletion of ZEB1 protected against the pro-EMT roles of BCL6 by restoring the expression of E-cadherin in these cells. Moreover, inhibition of BCL6 with BCL6 inhibitor 79-6 suppressed these functions of BCL6 in breast cancer cells. These findings indicate that BCL6 promotes EMT via enhancing the ZEB1-mediated transcriptional repression of E-cadherin in breast cancer cells. Targeting BCL6 has therapeutic potential against the development and progression of breast cancer.
ATM mutations and E-cadherin expression define sensitivity to EGFR-targeted therapy in colorectal cancer.
Geißler, Anna-Lena; Geißler, Miriam; Kottmann, Daniel; Lutz, Lisa; Fichter, Christiane D; Fritsch, Ralph; Weddeling, Britta; Makowiec, Frank; Werner, Martin; Lassmann, Silke
EGFR-targeted therapy is a key treatment approach in patients with RAS wildtype metastatic colorectal cancers (CRC). Still, also RAS wildtype CRC may be resistant to EGFR-targeted therapy, with few predictive markers available for improved stratification of patients. Here, we investigated response of 7 CRC cell lines (Caco-2, DLD1, HCT116, HT29, LS174T, RKO, SW480) to Cetuximab and correlated this to NGS-based mutation profiles, EGFR promoter methylation and EGFR expression status as well as to E-cadherin expression. Moreover, tissue specimens of primary and/or recurrent tumors as well as liver and/or lung metastases of 25 CRC patients having received Cetuximab and/or Panitumumab were examined for the same molecular markers. In vitro and in situ analyses showed that EGFR promoter methylation and EGFR expression as well as the MSI and or CIMP-type status did not guide treatment responses. In fact, EGFR-targeted treatment responses were also observed in RAS exon 2 p.G13 mutated CRC cell lines or CRC cases and were further linked to PIK3CA exon 9 mutations. In contrast, non-response to EGFR-targeted treatment was associated with ATM mutations and low E-cadherin expression. Moreover, down-regulation of E-cadherin by siRNA in otherwise Cetuximab responding E-cadherin positive cells abrogated their response. Hence, we here identify ATM and E-cadherin expression as potential novel supportive predictive markers for EGFR-targeted therapy.
Drosophila E-cadherin is required for the maintenance of ring canals anchoring to mechanically withstand tissue growth.
Loyer, Nicolas; Kolotuev, Irina; Pinot, Mathieu; Le Borgne, Roland
Intercellular bridges called "ring canals" (RCs) resulting from incomplete cytokinesis play an essential role in intercellular communication in somatic and germinal tissues. During Drosophila oogenesis, RCs connect the maturing oocyte to nurse cells supporting its growth. Despite numerous genetic screens aimed at identifying genes involved in RC biogenesis and maturation, how RCs anchor to the plasma membrane (PM) throughout development remains unexplained. In this study, we report that the clathrin adaptor protein 1 (AP-1) complex, although dispensable for the biogenesis of RCs, is required for the maintenance of the anchorage of RCs to the PM to withstand the increased membrane tension associated with the exponential tissue growth at the onset of vitellogenesis. Here we unravel the mechanisms by which AP-1 enables the maintenance of RCs' anchoring to the PM during size expansion. We show that AP-1 regulates the localization of the intercellular adhesion molecule E-cadherin and that loss of AP-1 causes the disappearance of the E-cadherin-containing adhesive clusters surrounding the RCs. E-cadherin itself is shown to be required for the maintenance of the RCs' anchorage, a function previously unrecognized because of functional compensation by N-cadherin. Scanning block-face EM combined with transmission EM analyses reveals the presence of interdigitated, actin- and Moesin-positive, microvilli-like structures wrapping the RCs. Thus, by modulating E-cadherin trafficking, we show that the sustained E-cadherin-dependent adhesion organizes the microvilli meshwork and ensures the proper attachment of RCs to the PM, thereby counteracting the increasing membrane tension induced by exponential tissue growth.
Downregulation of hepatic stimulator substance during the early phase of liver regeneration inhibits E-cadherin expression in mice.
Zhang, Haifeng; Dong, Ling-Yue; Sun, Guangyong; An, Wei
Hepatic stimulatory substance (HSS), which encodes a sulfhydryl oxidase enzyme, promotes liver regeneration (LR) and maintains the viability of hepatocytes. Surprisingly, we found that the levels of the HSS mRNA and expressed protein were both strongly repressed at 12h after a 70% partial hepatectomy (PH) in mice. Understanding the mechanism and effect of this extraordinary suppression can provide a novel path for exploring the molecular function of HSS during LR. We observed that the EGF levels in the serum were negatively correlated with HSS expression in regenerating livers. Treating primary mouse hepatocytes or Hepa1-6 cells with EGF suppressed HSS mRNA expression. This suppression was transcriptional and was mediated by the effect of EGF on the phosphorylation of CCAAT/enhancer-binding protein β (C/EBPβ), which regulates HSS expression. We further showed that the enhanced phosphorylation of C/EBPβ after PH promoted its interaction with the HSS promoter and repressed HSS expression at early time-points after PH. Interestingly, the knockdown of HSS caused a dramatic decrease in E-cadherin expression in hepatocytes. E-cadherin expression was also significantly suppressed at 12h after PH. Moreover, the pre-injection of HSS-expressing adenovirus vectors prevented E-cadherin suppression after PH. Treatment with C/EBPβ siRNA reversed the EGF-mediated inhibition of HSS expression and led to enhanced E-cadherin expression and reduced cell migration. Our findings suggest that C/EBPβ directly inhibits the HSS promoter after PH and that this inhibition can downregulate E-cadherin expression. These data provide novel insight into the potential role of HSS in hepatic structural reconstruction during LR.
Evidence for a role of E-cadherin in suppressing liver carcinogenesis in mice and men.
Schneider, Marlon R; Hiltwein, Felix; Grill, Jessica; Blum, Helmut; Krebs, Stefan; Klanner, Andrea; Bauersachs, Stefan; Bruns, Christiane; Longerich, Thomas; Horst, David; Brandl, Lydia; de Toni, Enrico; Herbst, Andreas; Kolligs, Frank T
The cell adhesion molecule E-cadherin has critical functions in development and carcinogenesis. Impaired expression of E-cadherin has been associated with disrupted tissue homeostasis, progression of cancer and a worse patient prognosis. So far, the role of E-cadherin in homeostasis and carcinogenesis of the liver is not well understood. By use of a mouse model with liver-specific deletion of E-cadherin and administration of the carcinogen diethylnitrosamine, we demonstrate that loss of E-cadherin expression in hepatocytes results in acceleration of the growth of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). In contrast, liver regeneration is not disturbed in mice lacking E-cadherin expression in hepatocytes. In human HCC, we observed four different expression patterns of E-cadherin. Notably, atypical cytosolic expression of E-cadherin was positively correlated with a poorer patient prognosis. The median overall survival of patients with HCC expressing E-cadherin on the membrane only was 221 weeks (95% confidence interval: 51-391) compared with 131 weeks in patients with cytosolic expression (95% confidence interval: 71-191 weeks; P < 0.05). In conclusion, we demonstrate that impaired expression of E-cadherin promotes hepatocellular carcinogenesis and is associated with a worse prognosis in humans.
Notch signaling-mediated cell-to-cell interaction is dependent on E-cadherin adhesion in adult rat anterior pituitary.
Batchuluun, Khongorzul; Azuma, Morio; Yashiro, Takashi; Kikuchi, Motoshi
The rat anterior pituitary is composed of hormone-producing cells, non-hormone-producing cells (referred to as folliculostellate cells) and marginal layer cells. In the adult rat, progenitor cells of hormone-producing cells have recently been reported to be maintained within this non-hormone-producing cell population. In tissue, non-hormone-producing cells construct homophilic cell aggregates by the differential expression of the cell adhesion molecule E-cadherin. We have previously shown that Notch signaling, a known regulator of progenitor cells in a number of organs, is activated in the cell aggregates. We now investigate the relationship between Notch signaling and E-cadherin-mediated cell adhesion in the pituitary gland. Immunohistochemically, Notch signaling receptor Notch2 and the ligand Jagged1 were localized within E-cadherin-positive cells in the marginal cell layer and in the main part of the anterior lobe, whereas Notch1 was localized in E-cadherin-positive and -negative cells. Activation of Notch signaling within E-cadherin-positive cells was confirmed by immunostaining of the Notch target HES1. Notch2 and Jagged1 were always co-localized within the same cells suggesting that homologous cells have reciprocal effects in activating Notch signaling. When the E-cadherin function was inhibited by exposure to a monoclonal antibody (DECMA-1) in primary monolayer cell culture, the percentage of HES1-positive cells among Notch2-positive cells was less than half that of the control. The present results suggest that E-cadherin-mediated cell attachment is necessary for the activation of Notch signaling in the anterior pituitary gland but not for the expression of the Notch2 molecule.
The Anoikis Effector Bit1 Inhibits EMT through Attenuation of TLE1-Mediated Repression of E-Cadherin in Lung Cancer Cells
Yao, Xin; Pham, Tri; Temple, Brandi; Gray, Selena; Cannon, Cornita; Chen, Renwei; Abdel-Mageed, Asim B.; Biliran, Hector
The mitochondrial Bcl-2 inhibitor of transcription 1 (Bit1) protein is part of an anoikis-regulating pathway that is selectively dependent on integrins. We previously demonstrated that the caspase-independent apoptotic effector Bit1 exerts tumor suppressive function in lung cancer in part by inhibiting anoikis resistance and anchorage-independent growth in vitro and tumorigenicity in vivo. Herein we show a novel function of Bit1 as an inhibitor cell migration and epithelial–mesenchymal transition (EMT) in the human lung adenocarcinoma A549 cell line. Suppression of endogenous Bit1 expression via siRNA and shRNA strategies promoted mesenchymal phenotypes, including enhanced fibroblastoid morphology and cell migratory potential with concomitant downregulation of the epithelial marker E-cadherin expression. Conversely, ectopic Bit1 expression in A549 cells promoted epithelial transition characterized by cuboidal-like epithelial cell phenotype, reduced cell motility, and upregulated E-cadherin expression. Specific downregulation of E-cadherin in Bit1-transfected cells was sufficient to block Bit1-mediated inhibition of cell motility while forced expression of E-cadherin alone attenuated the enhanced migration of Bit1 knockdown cells, indicating that E-cadherin is a downstream target of Bit1 in regulating cell motility. Furthermore, quantitative real-time PCR and reporter analyses revealed that Bit1 upregulates E-cadherin expression at the transcriptional level through the transcriptional regulator Amino-terminal Enhancer of Split (AES) protein. Importantly, the Bit1/AES pathway induction of E-cadherin expression involves inhibition of the TLE1-mediated repression of E-cadherin, by decreasing TLE1 corepressor occupancy at the E-cadherin promoter as revealed by chromatin immunoprecipitation assays. Consistent with its EMT inhibitory function, exogenous Bit1 expression significantly suppressed the formation of lung metastases of A549 cells in an in vivo experimental
The Anoikis Effector Bit1 Inhibits EMT through Attenuation of TLE1-Mediated Repression of E-Cadherin in Lung Cancer Cells.
Yao, Xin; Pham, Tri; Temple, Brandi; Gray, Selena; Cannon, Cornita; Chen, Renwei; Abdel-Mageed, Asim B; Biliran, Hector
The mitochondrial Bcl-2 inhibitor of transcription 1 (Bit1) protein is part of an anoikis-regulating pathway that is selectively dependent on integrins. We previously demonstrated that the caspase-independent apoptotic effector Bit1 exerts tumor suppressive function in lung cancer in part by inhibiting anoikis resistance and anchorage-independent growth in vitro and tumorigenicity in vivo. Herein we show a novel function of Bit1 as an inhibitor cell migration and epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) in the human lung adenocarcinoma A549 cell line. Suppression of endogenous Bit1 expression via siRNA and shRNA strategies promoted mesenchymal phenotypes, including enhanced fibroblastoid morphology and cell migratory potential with concomitant downregulation of the epithelial marker E-cadherin expression. Conversely, ectopic Bit1 expression in A549 cells promoted epithelial transition characterized by cuboidal-like epithelial cell phenotype, reduced cell motility, and upregulated E-cadherin expression. Specific downregulation of E-cadherin in Bit1-transfected cells was sufficient to block Bit1-mediated inhibition of cell motility while forced expression of E-cadherin alone attenuated the enhanced migration of Bit1 knockdown cells, indicating that E-cadherin is a downstream target of Bit1 in regulating cell motility. Furthermore, quantitative real-time PCR and reporter analyses revealed that Bit1 upregulates E-cadherin expression at the transcriptional level through the transcriptional regulator Amino-terminal Enhancer of Split (AES) protein. Importantly, the Bit1/AES pathway induction of E-cadherin expression involves inhibition of the TLE1-mediated repression of E-cadherin, by decreasing TLE1 corepressor occupancy at the E-cadherin promoter as revealed by chromatin immunoprecipitation assays. Consistent with its EMT inhibitory function, exogenous Bit1 expression significantly suppressed the formation of lung metastases of A549 cells in an in vivo experimental
Concomitant neoplasms in the skin and stomach unveil the role of type IV collagen and E-cadherin in mucin core protein 5AC expression in vivo.
Hata, H; Natsuga, K; Kitamura, S; Imafuku, K; Yamaguchi, Y; Ebihara, Y; Shichinohe, T; Hirano, S; Shimizu, H
Mucin core protein (MUC) 5AC is a gel-forming glycoprotein that is expressed in different types of tumour cells. MUC5AC expression in cultured cells is regulated through the extracellular matrix and through remodelling by other membranous proteins such as type IV collagen (COL4) and E-cadherin. However, it has not been elucidated whether COL4 and E-cadherin affect MUC5AC expression in tumours in vivo. Here, by analysing a single individual with concomitant neoplasms in the skin [extramammary Paget disease (EMPD)] and the stomach (gastric cancer), we show that MUC5AC expression is reduced in COL4 and membranous E-cadherin-expressing EMPD specimens whereas MUC5AC is not abolished in gastric cancer with COL4 negativity and E-cadherin cytoplasmic localization. As the EMPD and gastric cancer specimens were derived from a single patient, each specimen had the same genetic background. These in vivo results support previous in vitro studies which showed that COL4 and E-cadherin downregulated MUC5AC expression. Our study suggests that concomitant neoplasms in different organs of the same individual can serve as a strong tool for uncovering functional diversity in tumour markers in distinct cancer cells.
Small molecule/ML327 mediated transcriptional de-repression of E-cadherin and inhibition of epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition
An, Hanbing; Stoops, Sydney L.; Deane, Natasha G.; Zhu, Jing; Zi, Jinghuan; Weaver, Connie; Waterson, Alex G.; Zijlstra, Andries; Lindsley, Craig W.; Beauchamp, Robert Daniel
Transcriptional repression of E-cadherin is a hallmark of Epithelial-to-Mesenchymal Transition (EMT) and is associated with cancer cell invasion and metastasis. Understanding the mechanisms underlying E-cadherin repression during EMT may provide insights into the development of novel targeted therapeutics for cancer. Here, we report on the chemical probe, ML327, which de-represses E-cadherin transcription, partially reverses EMT, and inhibits cancer cell invasiveness and tumor cell migration in vitro and in vivo. Induction of E-cadherin mRNA expression by ML327 treatment does not require de novo protein synthesis. RNA sequencing analysis revealed that ML327 treatment significantly alters expression of over 2,500 genes within three hours in the presence of the translational inhibitor, cycloheximide. Network analysis reveals Hepatocyte Nuclear Factor 4-alpha (HNF4α) as the most significant upstream transcriptional regulator of multiple genes whose expressions were altered by ML327 treatment. Further, small interfering RNA-mediated depletion of HNF4α markedly attenuates the E-cadherin expression response to ML327. In summary, ML327 represents a valuable tool to understand mechanisms of EMT and may provide the basis for a novel targeted therapeutic strategy for carcinomas. PMID:26082441
E-Cadherin As A Chemotherapy Resistance Mechanism On Metastatic Breast Cancer
chemotherapy. REPORTABLE OUTCOMES Publications 1. Chao Y, Wu Q, Shepard C, and Wells A. "Hepatocyte induced re-expression of E-cadherin in breast...Microenvironment (Appendix 2) 3. Chao Y*, Shepard CR*, Wells A (2010). Breast carcinoma cells re-express E-cadherin during mesenchymal to epithelial...Metastases." Academy of Clinical Laboratory Physicians and Scientists. Redondo Beach, PA. June 2009. 2. Chao Y, Shepard CR, Wells, A. "E-cadherin
Reduced E-cadherin facilitates renal cell carcinoma progression by WNT/β-catenin signaling activation.
Zhang, Xinqi; Yang, Mingxi; Shi, Hua; Hu, Jianxin; Wang, Yuanlin; Sun, Zhaolin; Xu, Shuxiong
Reduced expression of E-cadherin was observed in renal cell carcinoma (RCC). However, its potential clinical value and correlation with WNT/β-catenin signaling in RCC progression was still unclear. Immunohistochemical staining was performed in RCC tissue microarray to examine the expression status and prognosis value of E-cadherin and β-catenin. The potential role of E-cadherin in β-catenin translocation was analyzed with immunobloting assays. A significant negative correlation was observed between E-cadherin and β-catenin expression in RCC tissues. E-cadherin inhibits β-catenin translocation from membrane to cytoplasm in RCC tissues, which was an important step for WNT/β-catenin signaling. Reduced E-cadherin expression was associated with poor prognosis. More importantly, E-cadherin-/β-catenin+ was an independent detrimental factor for survival estimation of RCC patients. Reduced E-cadherin expression in RCC promoted cancer progression via WNT/β-catenin signaling pathway activation. E-cadherin/β-catenin provides a valuable prognosis marker for RCC, which may be an effective target for RCC therapy.
MicroRNA-346 facilitates cell growth and metastasis, and suppresses cell apoptosis in human non-small cell lung cancer by regulation of XPC/ERK/Snail/E-cadherin pathway
Sun, Cheng-Cao; Li, Shu-Jun; Yuan, Zhan-Peng; Li, De-Jia
Determinants of growth and metastasis in cancer remain of great interest to define. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) have frequently emerged as tumor metastatic regulator by acting on multiple signaling pathways. Here we report the definition of miR-346 as a novel oncogenic microRNA that facilitates non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) cell growth and metastasis. XPC, an important DNA damage recognition factor in nucleotide excision repair was defined as a target for down-regulation by miR-346, functioning through direct interaction with the 3′-UTR of XPC mRNA. Blocking miR-346 by an antagomiR was sufficient to inhibit NSCLC cell growth and metastasis, an effect that could be phenol-copied by RNAi-mediated silencing of XPC. In vivo studies established that miR-346 overexpression was sufficient to promote tumor growth by A549 cells in xenografts mice, relative to control cells. Overall, our results defined miR-346 as an oncogenic miRNA in NSCLC, the levels of which contributed to tumor growth and invasive aggressiveness. PMID:27777383
FGF control of E-cadherin targeting in the Drosophila midgut impacts on primordial germ cell motility.
Parés, Guillem; Ricardo, Sara
Embryo formation requires tight regulation and coordination of adhesion in multiple cell types. By undertaking imaging, three-dimensional (3D) reconstructions and genetic analysis during posterior midgut morphogenesis in Drosophila, we find a new requirement for the conserved fibroblast growth factor (FGF) signaling pathway in the maintenance of epithelial cell adhesion through FGF modulation of zygotic E-cadherin. During Drosophila gastrulation, primordial germ cells (PGCs) are transported with the posterior midgut while it undergoes dynamic cell shape changes. In embryos mutant for the FGF signaling pathway components Branchless and Breathless, zygotic E-cadherin is not targeted to adherens junctions, causing midgut pocket collapse, which impacts on PGC movement. We find that the ventral midline also requires FGF signaling to maintain cell-cell adhesion. We show that FGF signaling regulates the distribution of zygotic E-cadherin during early embryonic development to maintain cell-cell adhesion in the posterior midgut and the ventral midline, a role that is likely crucial in other tissues undergoing active cell shape changes with higher adhesive needs.
PAK5 mediates cell: cell adhesion integrity via interaction with E-cadherin in bladder cancer cells.
Ismail, Ahmad Fahim; Oskay Halacli, Sevil; Babteen, Nouf; De Piano, Mario; Martin, Tracey A; Jiang, Wen G; Khan, Muhammad Shamim; Dasgupta, Prokar; Wells, Claire M
Urothelial bladder cancer is a major cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide, causing an estimated 150 000 deaths per year. Whilst non-muscle-invasive bladder tumours can be effectively treated, with high survival rates, many tumours recur, and some will progress to muscle-invasive disease with a much poorer long-term prognosis. Thus, there is a pressing need to understand the molecular transitions occurring within the progression of bladder cancer to an invasive disease. Tumour invasion is often associated with a down-regulation of E-cadherin expression concomitant with a suppression of cell:cell junctions, and decreased levels of E-cadherin expression have been reported in higher grade urothelial bladder tumours. We find that expression of E-cadherin in a panel of bladder cancer cell lines correlated with the presence of cell:cell junctions and the level of PAK5 expression. Interestingly, exogenous PAK5 has recently been described to be associated with cell:cell junctions and we now find that endogenous PAK5 is localised to cell junctions and interacts with an E-cadherin complex. Moreover, depletion of PAK5 expression significantly reduced junctional integrity. These data suggest a role for PAK5 in maintaining junctional stability and we find that, in both our own patient samples and a commercially available dataset, PAK5mRNA levels are reduced in human bladder cancer compared with normal controls. Taken together, the present study proposes that PAK5 expression levels could be used as a novel prognostic marker for bladder cancer progression.
ZEB1 overexpression associated with E-cadherin and microRNA-200 downregulation is characteristic of undifferentiated endometrial carcinoma.
Romero-Pérez, Laura; López-García, M Ángeles; Díaz-Martín, Juan; Biscuola, Michele; Castilla, M Ángeles; Tafe, Laura J; Garg, Karuna; Oliva, Esther; Matias-Guiu, Xavier; Soslow, Robert A; Palacios, José
Undifferentiated endometrial carcinomas are very aggressive high-grade endometrial carcinomas that are frequently under-recognized. This study aimed to analyze the molecular alterations underlying the development of these endometrial carcinomas, focusing on those related to dedifferentiation. We assessed a series of 120 tumors: 57 grade 1 and 2 endometrioid endometrial carcinomas, 15 grade 3 endometrioid endometrial carcinomas, 27 endometrial serous carcinomas, and 21 undifferentiated endometrial carcinomas. We found a high frequency of DNA mismatch repair deficiency (38%) and moderate rate of p53 overexpression (∼33%) in undifferentiated carcinomas. In contrast to the characteristic endometrioid phenotype, there was a dramatic downregulation of E-cadherin expression in the undifferentiated subtype. Quantitative methylation studies dismissed CDH1 promoter hypermethylation as the mechanism responsible for this change in gene expression, while immunohistochemistry revealed that the E-cadherin repressor ZEB1 was frequently overexpressed (62%) in undifferentiated endometrial carcinomas. This finding was accompanied by a sharp downregulation in the expression of the miR-200 family of microRNAs, well-known targets of ZEB1. Furthermore, there was enhanced expression of epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition markers in undifferentiated endometrial carcinomas, such as N-cadherin, cytoplasmic p120, and osteonectin. In addition, HMGA2, a regulator of epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition that is expressed in aggressive endometrial tumors, such as endometrial serous carcinomas and carcinosarcomas, was expressed in >20% of undifferentiated carcinomas. These results suggest that ZEB1 overexpression, associated with E-cadherin and miR-200s downregulation, and the expression of mesenchymal markers might enhance the metastatic potential of undifferentiated endometrial carcinomas, leading to a poor prognosis. In addition, our observations suggest that the immnohistochemical analysis
E-cadherin is required for centrosome and spindle orientation in Drosophila male germline stem cells.
Inaba, Mayu; Yuan, Hebao; Salzmann, Viktoria; Fuller, Margaret T; Yamashita, Yukiko M
Many adult stem cells reside in a special microenvironment known as the niche, where they receive essential signals that specify stem cell identity. Cell-cell adhesion mediated by cadherin and integrin plays a crucial role in maintaining stem cells within the niche. In Drosophila melanogaster, male germline stem cells (GSCs) are attached to niche component cells (i.e., the hub) via adherens junctions. The GSC centrosomes and spindle are oriented toward the hub-GSC junction, where E-cadherin-based adherens junctions are highly concentrated. For this reason, adherens junctions are thought to provide a polarity cue for GSCs to enable proper orientation of centrosomes and spindles, a critical step toward asymmetric stem cell division. However, understanding the role of E-cadherin in GSC polarity has been challenging, since GSCs carrying E-cadherin mutations are not maintained in the niche. Here, we tested whether E-cadherin is required for GSC polarity by expressing a dominant-negative form of E-cadherin. We found that E-cadherin is indeed required for polarizing GSCs toward the hub cells, an effect that may be mediated by Apc2. We also demonstrated that E-cadherin is required for the GSC centrosome orientation checkpoint, which prevents mitosis when centrosomes are not correctly oriented. We propose that E-cadherin orchestrates multiple aspects of stem cell behavior, including polarization of stem cells toward the stem cell-niche interface and adhesion of stem cells to the niche supporting cells.
Tumor suppressor gene E-cadherin and its role in normal and malignant cells
Pećina-Šlaus, Nives
E-cadherin tumor suppressor genes are particularly active area of research in development and tumorigenesis. The calcium-dependent interactions among E-cadherin molecules are critical for the formation and maintenance of adherent junctions in areas of epithelial cell-cell contact. Loss of E-cadherin-mediated-adhesion characterises the transition from benign lesions to invasive, metastatic cancer. Nevertheless, there is evidence that E-cadherins may also play a role in the wnt signal transduction pathway, together with other key molecules involved in it, such as beta-catenins and adenomatous poliposis coli gene products. The structure and function of E-cadherin, gene and protein, in normal as well as in tumor cells are reviewed in this paper. PMID:14613514
ADAM12-directed ectodomain shedding of E-cadherin potentiates trophoblast fusion.
Aghababaei, M; Hogg, K; Perdu, S; Robinson, W P; Beristain, A G
Trophoblasts, placental cells of epithelial lineage, undergo extensive differentiation to form the cellular components of the placenta. Trophoblast progenitor cell differentiation into the multinucleated syncytiotrophoblast is a key developmental process required for placental function, where defects in syncytiotrophoblast formation and turnover associate with placental pathologies and link to poor pregnancy outcomes. The cellular and molecular processes governing syncytiotrophoblast formation are poorly understood, but require the activation of pathways that direct cell fusion. The protease, A Disintegrin and Metalloproteinase 12 (ADAM12), controls cell fusion in myoblasts and is highly expressed in the placenta localizing to multiple trophoblast populations. However, the importance of ADAM12 in regulating trophoblast fusion is unknown. Here, we describe a function for ADAM12 in regulating trophoblast fusion. Using two distinct trophoblast models of cell fusion, we show that ADAM12 is dynamically upregulated and is under the transcriptional control of protein kinase A. siRNA-directed loss of ADAM12 impedes spontaneous fusion of primary cytotrophoblasts, whereas overexpression of the secreted variant, ADAM12S, potentiates cell fusion in the Bewo trophoblast cell line. Mechanistically, both ectopic and endogenous levels of ADAM12 were shown to control trophoblast fusion through E-cadherin ectodomain shedding and remodeling of intercellular boundaries. This study describes a novel role for ADAM12 in placental development, specifically highlighting its importance in controlling the differentiation of villous cytotrophoblasts into multinucleated cellular structures. Moreover, this work identifies E-cadherin as a novel ADAM12 substrate, and highlights the significance that cell adhesion molecule ectodomain shedding has in normal development.
DNA methylation-induced E-cadherin silencing is correlated with the clinicopathological features of melanoma.
Venza, Mario; Visalli, Maria; Catalano, Teresa; Biondo, Carmelo; Beninati, Concetta; Teti, Diana; Venza, Isabella
E-cadherin, a calcium-dependent cell-cell adhesion molecule, has an important role in epithelial cell function, maintenance of tissue architecture and cancer suppression. Loss of E-cadherin promotes tumor metastatic dissemination and predicts poor prognosis. The present study investigated the clinicopathological significance of E-cadherin expression in cutaneous, mucosal and uveal melanoma related to epigenetic mechanisms that may contribute to E-cadherin silencing. E-cadherin expression was reduced in 55/130 cutaneous (42.3%), 49/82 mucosal (59.7%) and 36/64 uveal (56.2%) melanoma samples as compared to normal skin controls and was inversely associated with promoter methylation. Of the 10 different CpG sites studied (nt 863, 865, 873, 879, 887, 892, 901, 918, 920 and 940), two sites (nt 892 and 940) were 90-100% methylated in all the melanoma specimens examined and the other ones were partially methylated (range, 53-86%). In contrast, the methylation rate of the E-cadherin gene was low in normal tissues (range, 5-24%). In all the three types of melanoma studied, a significant correlation was found between reduced levels of E-cadherin and reduced survival, high mitotic index and metastasis, accounting for the predilection of lymph nodal localization. In cutaneous and mucosal melanoma, low E-cadherin expression was positively correlated also with head/neck localization and ulceration. A high frequency of reduced E-cadherin levels occurred in choroid melanomas. In vitro experiments showed that E-cadherin transcription was restored following 5-aza-2'-deoxycytidine (5-aza-dC) treatment or DNMT1 silencing and was negatively correlated with the invasive potential of melanoma cells. The significant relationship between E-cadherin silencing and several poor prognostic factors indicates that this adhesion molecule may play an important role in melanomagenesis. Therefore, the inverse association of E-cadherin expression with promoter methylation raises the intriguing
A mechanically active heterotypic E-cadherin/N-cadherin adhesion enables fibroblasts to drive cancer cell invasion.
Labernadie, Anna; Kato, Takuya; Brugués, Agustí; Serra-Picamal, Xavier; Derzsi, Stefanie; Arwert, Esther; Weston, Anne; González-Tarragó, Victor; Elosegui-Artola, Alberto; Albertazzi, Lorenzo; Alcaraz, Jordi; Roca-Cusachs, Pere; Sahai, Erik; Trepat, Xavier
Cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) promote tumour invasion and metastasis. We show that CAFs exert a physical force on cancer cells that enables their collective invasion. Force transmission is mediated by a heterophilic adhesion involving N-cadherin at the CAF membrane and E-cadherin at the cancer cell membrane. This adhesion is mechanically active; when subjected to force it triggers β-catenin recruitment and adhesion reinforcement dependent on α-catenin/vinculin interaction. Impairment of E-cadherin/N-cadherin adhesion abrogates the ability of CAFs to guide collective cell migration and blocks cancer cell invasion. N-cadherin also mediates repolarization of the CAFs away from the cancer cells. In parallel, nectins and afadin are recruited to the cancer cell/CAF interface and CAF repolarization is afadin dependent. Heterotypic junctions between CAFs and cancer cells are observed in patient-derived material. Together, our findings show that a mechanically active heterophilic adhesion between CAFs and cancer cells enables cooperative tumour invasion.
E-cadherin expression in basal cell carcinoma.
Pizarro, A.; Benito, N.; Navarro, P.; Palacios, J.; Cano, A.; Quintanilla, M.; Contreras, F.; Gamallo, C.
E-cadherin (E-CD) is a calcium-dependent cell-cell adhesion molecule which is expressed in almost all epithelial tissues. E-CD expression is involved in epidermal morphogenesis and is reduced during tumour progression of mouse epidermal carcinogenesis. It has been suggested that E-CD could play a role as an invasion-suppressor molecule. In the present work we have studied the E-CD expression in 31 patients with basal cell carcinoma (BCC) using an immunohistochemical technique with a monoclonal antibody (HECD-1) specific for human E-CD. E-CD expression was preserved in all specimens of superficial and nodular BCC, and was reduced in 10 of 15 infiltrative BCCs. A heterogeneous distribution of cells with different immunostaining intensity was more frequently observed in specimens of infiltrative BCC. These results suggest that E-CD might be related to the growth pattern and the local aggressive behaviour of BCC, and support the idea that E-CD might play a role as an invasion-suppressor molecule in vivo. Images Figure 1 PMID:8286199
Extracellular cleavage of E-cadherin promotes epithelial cell extrusion.
Grieve, Adam G; Rabouille, Catherine
Epithelial cell extrusion and subsequent apoptosis is a key mechanism to prevent the accumulation of excess cells. By contrast, when driven by oncogene expression, apical cell extrusion is followed by proliferation and represents an initial step of tumorigenesis. E-cadherin (E-cad), the main component of adherens junctions, has been shown to be essential for epithelial cell extrusion, but its mechanistic contribution remains unclear. Here, we provide clear evidence that cell extrusion can be driven by the cleavage of E-cad, both in a wild-type and an oncogenic environment. We first show that CDC42 activation in a single epithelial cell results in its efficient matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-sensitive extrusion through MEK signalling activation and this is supported by E-cad cleavage. Second, using an engineered cleavable form of E-cad, we demonstrate that, by itself, truncation of extracellular E-cad at the plasma membrane promotes apical extrusion. We propose that extracellular cleavage of E-cad generates a rapid change in cell-cell adhesion that is sufficient to drive apical cell extrusion. Whereas in normal epithelia, extrusion is followed by apoptosis, when combined with active oncogenic signalling, it is coupled to cell proliferation.
Cadherin Cytoplasmic Domains Inhibit the Cell Surface Localization of Endogenous E-Cadherin, Blocking Desmosome and Tight Junction Formation and Inducing Cell Dissociation
Ozawa, Masayuki; Kobayashi, Wakako
The downregulation of E-cadherin function has fundamental consequences with respect to cancer progression, and occurs as part of the epithelial–mesenchymal transition (EMT). In this study, we show that the expression of the Discosoma sp. red fluorescent protein (DsRed)-tagged cadherin cytoplasmic domain in cells inhibited the cell surface localization of endogenous E-cadherin, leading to morphological changes, the inhibition of junctional assembly and cell dissociation. These changes were associated with increased cell migration, but were not accompanied by the down-regulation of epithelial markers and up-regulation of mesenchymal markers. Thus, these changes cannot be classified as EMT. The cadherin cytoplasmic domain interacted with β-catenin or plakoglobin, reducing the levels of β-catenin or plakoglobin associated with E-cadherin, and raising the possibility that β-catenin and plakoglobin sequestration by these constructs induced E-cadherin intracellular localization. Accordingly, a cytoplasmic domain construct bearing mutations that weakened the interactions with β-catenin or plakoglobin did not impair junction formation and adhesion, indicating that the interaction with β-catenin or plakoglobin was essential to the potential of the constructs. E-cadherin–α-catenin chimeras that did not require β-catenin or plakoglobin for their cell surface transport restored cell–cell adhesion and junction formation. PMID:25121615
E-cadherin downregulation and Twist overexpression since early stages of oral carcinogenesis.
de Freitas Silva, Brunno Santos; Yamamoto-Silva, Fernanda Paula; Pontes, Hélder Antônio Rebelo; Pinto Júnior, Décio dos Santos
There is some evidence of Twist participation in oral carcinogenesis; however, little is known about its interaction with E-cadherin in oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) development. This experimental study included an immunohistochemical analysis of Twist and E-cadherin proteins in paraffin-embedded specimens of oral leukoplakia (OL), OSCC, and normal oral mucosa. In addition, it was also performed a Western blot and double-immunofluorescence analysis of Twist and E-cadherin expression in OSCC cell lines. Significant differences in Twist and E-cadherin immunoexpression were observed between normal oral mucosa and OL, with an inverse relation since the earliest stages of oral dysplasia (r = -0,512; P < 0.001). Western blot and double-immunofluorescence analysis showed differences in Twist and E-cadherin expression among human oral keratinocytes and OSCC cell lines suggesting that downregulation of E-cadherin occurs in a dependent manner of Twist in OSCC. Our results showed a possible value of Twist and E-cadherin in the prediction of risk of oral epithelium malignant transformation.
E-Cadherin Destabilization Accounts for the Pathogenicity of Missense Mutations in Hereditary Diffuse Gastric Cancer
Simões-Correia, Joana; Figueiredo, Joana; Lopes, Rui; Stricher, François; Oliveira, Carla; Serrano, Luis; Seruca, Raquel
E-cadherin is critical for the maintenance of tissue architecture due to its role in cell-cell adhesion. E-cadherin mutations are the genetic cause of Hereditary Diffuse Gastric Cancer (HDGC) and missense mutations represent a clinical burden, due to the uncertainty of their pathogenic role. In vitro and in vivo, most mutations lead to loss-of-function, although the causal factor is unknown for the majority. We hypothesized that destabilization could account for the pathogenicity of E-cadherin missense mutations in HDGC, and tested our hypothesis using in silico and in vitro tools. FoldX algorithm was used to calculate the impact of each mutation in E-cadherin native-state stability, and the analysis was complemented with evolutionary conservation, by SIFT. Interestingly, HDGC patients harbouring germline E-cadherin destabilizing mutants present a younger age at diagnosis or death, suggesting that the loss of native-state stability of E-cadherin accounts for the disease phenotype. To elucidate the biological relevance of E-cadherin destabilization in HDGC, we investigated a group of newly identified HDGC-associated mutations (E185V, S232C and L583R), of which L583R is predicted to be destabilizing. We show that this mutation is not functional in vitro, exhibits shorter half-life and is unable to mature, due to premature proteasome-dependent degradation, a phenotype reverted by stabilization with the artificial mutation L583I (structurally tolerated). Herein we report E-cadherin structural models suitable to predict the impact of the majority of cancer-associated missense mutations and we show that E-cadherin destabilization leads to loss-of-function in vitro and increased pathogenicity in vivo. PMID:22470475
Contactin-1 reduces E-cadherin expression via activating AKT in lung cancer.
Yan, Judy; Wong, Nicholas; Hung, Claudia; Chen, Wendy Xin-Yi; Tang, Damu
Contactin-1 has been shown to promote cancer metastasis. However, the underlying mechanisms remain unclear. We report here that knockdown of contactin-1 in A549 lung cancer cells reduced A549 cell invasion and the cell's ability to grow in soft agar without affecting cell proliferation. Reduction of contactin-1 resulted in upregulation of E-cadherin, consistent with E-cadherin being inhibitive of cancer cell invasion. In an effort to investigate the mechanisms whereby contactin-1 reduces E-cadherin expression, we observed that contactin-1 plays a role in AKT activation, as knockdown of contactin-1 attenuated AKT activation. Additionally, inhibition of AKT activation significantly enhanced E-cadherin expression, an observation that mimics the situation observed in contactin-1 knockdown, suggesting that activation of AKT plays a role in contactin-1-mediated downregulation of E-cadherin. In addition, we were able to show that knockdown of contactin-1 did not further reduce A549 cell's invasion ability, when AKT activation was inhibited by an AKT inhibitor. To further support our findings, we overexpressed CNTN-1 in two CNTN-1 null breast cancer cell lines expressing E-cadherin. Upon overexpression, CNTN-1 reduced E-cadherin levels in one cell line and increased AKT activation in the other. Furthermore, in our study of 63 primary lung cancers, we observed 65% of primary lung cancers being contactin-1 positive and in these carcinomas, 61% were E-cadherin negative. Collectively, we provide evidence that contactin-1 plays a role in the downregulation of E-cadherin in lung cancer and that AKT activation contributes to this process. In a study of mechanisms responsible for contactin-1 to activate AKT, we demonstrated that knockdown of CNTN-1 in A549 cells did not enhance PTEN expression but upregulated PHLPP2, a phosphatase that dephosphorylates AKT. These observations thus suggest that contactin-1 enhances AKT activation in part by preventing PHLPP2-mediated AKT
Mucinous Colorectal Adenocarcinoma: Influence of EGFR and E-Cadherin Expression on Clinicopathologic Features and Prognosis.
Foda, Abd AlRahman M; AbdelAziz, Azza; El-Hawary, Amira K; Hosni, Ali; Zalata, Khalid R; Gado, Asmaa I
Previous studies have shown conflicting results on epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) and E-cadherin expression in colorectal carcinoma and their prognostic significance. To the best of our knowledge, this study is the first to investigate EGFR and E-cadherin expression, interrelation and relation to clinicopathologic, histologic parameters, and survival in rare colorectal mucinous adenocarcinoma (MA). In this study, we studied tumor tissue specimens from 150 patients with colorectal MA and nonmucinous adenocarcinoma (NMA). High-density manual tissue microarrays were constructed using modified mechanical pencil tips technique, and immunohistochemistry for EGFR and E-cadherin was performed. All relations were analyzed using established statistical methodologies. NMA expressed EGFR and E-cadherin in significantly higher rates with significant heterogenous pattern than MA. EGFR and E-cadherin positivity rates were significantly interrelated in both NMA and MA groups. In the NMA group, high EGFR expression was associated with old age, male sex, multiplicity of tumors, lack of mucinous component, and association with schistosomiasis. However, in the MA group, high EGFR expression was associated only with old age and MA subtype rather than signet ring carcinoma subtype. Conversely, high E-cadherin expression in MA cases was associated with old age, fungating tumor configuration, MA subtype, and negative intratumoral lymphocytic response. However, in the NMA cases, none of these factors was statistically significant. In a univariate analysis, neither EGFR nor E-cadherin expression showed a significant impact on disease-free or overall survival. Targeted therapy against EGFR and E-cadherin may not be useful in patients with MA. Neither EGFR nor E-cadherin is an independent prognostic factor in NMA or MA.
OLA1 contributes to epithelial-mesenchymal transition in lung cancer by modulating the GSK3β/snail/E-cadherin signaling
Zhang, Jiawei; Yuan, Shuai; Liao, Chen; Jeyabal, Prince V.S; Rubio, Valentina; Chen, Huarong; Li, Yafei; Shi, Zheng-Zheng
Obg-like ATPase 1 (OLA1) belongs to the Obg family of P-loop NTPases, and may serve as a "molecular switch" regulating multiple cellular processes. Aberrant expression of OLA1 has been observed in several human malignancies. However, the role of OLA1 in cancer progression remains poorly understood. In this study, we used the Kaplan-Meier plotter search tool to show that increased expression of OLA1 mRNA was significantly associated with shorter overall survival in lung cancer patients. By immunohistochemical analysis we discovered that levels of OLA1 protein in lung cancer tissues were positively correlated with TNM stage and lymph node metastasis, but negatively correlated with the epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) marker E-cadherin. Knockdown of OLA1 in a lung adenocarcinoma cell line rendered the cells more resistant to TGF- β-induced EMT and the accompanied repression of E-cadherin. Furthermore, our results demonstrated that OLA1 is a GSK3 β-interacting protein and inhibits GSK3 β activity by mediating its Ser9 phosphorylation. During EMT, OLA1 plays an important role in suppressing the GSK3 β-mediated degradation of Snail protein, which in turn promotes downregulation of E-cadherin. These data suggest that OLA1 contributes to EMT by modulating the GSK3 β/Snail/E-cadherin signaling, and its overexpression is associated with clinical progression and poor survival in lung cancer patients. PMID:26863455
Dysregulation of Claudin-7 Leads to Loss of E-Cadherin Expression and the Increased Invasion of Esophageal Squamous Cell Carcinoma Cells
Lioni, Mercedes; Brafford, Patricia; Andl, Claudia; Rustgi, Anil; El-Deiry, Wafik; Herlyn, Meenhard; Smalley, Keiran S.M.
The claudins constitute a 24-member family of proteins that are critical for the function and formation of tight junctions. Here, we examine the expression of claudin-7 in squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) of the esophagus and its possible role in tumor progression. In the normal esophagus, expression of claudin-7 was confined to the cell membrane of differentiated keratinocytes. However, in the tumor samples, claudin-7 expression is often lost or localized to the cytoplasm. Assaying esophageal SCC lines revealed variable expression of claudin-7, with some lacking expression completely. Knockdown of claudin-7 in SCC cell lines using a small interfering RNA approach led to decreased E-cadherin expression, increased cell growth, and enhanced invasion into a three-dimensional matrix. The opposite was observed when claudin-7 was overexpressed in esophageal SCC cells lacking both claudin-7 and E-cadherin. In this context, the claudin-7-overexpressing cells became more adhesive and less invasive associated with increased E-cadherin expression. In summary, we demonstrate that claudin-7 is mislocalized during the malignant transformation of esophageal keratinocytes. We also demonstrate a critical role for claudin-7 expression in the regulation of E-cadherin in these cells, suggesting this may be one mechanism for the loss of epithelial architecture and invasion observed in esophageal SCC. PMID:17255337
Surface functionalization of inorganic nano-crystals with fibronectin and E-cadherin chimera synergistically accelerates trans-gene delivery into embryonic stem cells
Kutsuzawa, K.; Chowdhury, E.H.; Nagaoka, M.; Maruyama, K.; Akiyama, Y.; Akaike, T. . E-mail: firstname.lastname@example.com
Stem cells holding great promises in regenerative medicine have the potential to be differentiated to a specific cell type through genetic manipulation. However, conventional ways of gene transfer to such progenitor cells suffer from a number of disadvantages particularly involving safety and efficacy issues. Here, we report on the development of a bio-functionalized inorganic nano-carrier of DNA by embedding fibronectin and E-cadherin chimera on the carrier, leading to its high affinity interactions with embryonic stem cell surface and accelerated trans-gene delivery for subsequent expression. While only apatite nano-particles were very inefficient in transfecting embryonic stem cells, fibronectin-anchored particles and to a more significant extent, fibronectin and E-cadherin-Fc-associated particles dramatically enhanced trans-gene delivery with a value notably higher than that of commercially available lipofection system. The involvement of both cell surface integrin and E-cadherin in mediating intracellular localization of the hybrid carrier was verified by blocking integrin binding site with excess free fibronectin and up-regulating both integrin and E-cadherin through PKC activation. Thus, the new establishment of a bio-functional hybrid gene-carrier would promote and facilitate development of stem cell-based therapy in regenerative medicine.
E-cadherin immunohistochemical expression in mammary gland neoplasms in bitches.
Rodo, A; Malicka, E
The aim of the study was to investigate E-cadherin expression in correlation with other neoplasm traits such as: histological type, the differentiation grade and proliferative activity. Material for the investigation comprised mammary gland tumours, collected from dogs, the patients of veterinary clinics, during surgical procedures and archival samples. All together 21 adenomas, 32 complex carcinomas, 35 simple carcinomas and 13 solid carcinomas were qualified for further investigation. E-cadherin expression was higher in adenomas as compared with carcinomas but lower in solid carcinomas as compared with simple and complex carcinomas. More over, the expression of E-cadherin decreased with the increase in the neoplasm malignancy and proliferative activity (value of the mitotic index and number of cells showing Ki67). The study has shown that the expression of E-cadherin can be used as a prognostic factor.
E-Cadherin as a Chemotherapy Resistance Mechanism on Metastatic Breast Cancer
Shepard CR*, Wells A (2010). Breast carcinoma cells re-express E-cadherin during mesenchymal to epithelial reverting transition. Mol Cancer. Jul;9(1...Physicians and Scientists. Redondo Beach, PA. June 2009. 2. Chao Y, Shepard CR, Wells, A. "E-cadherin expression as a survival mechanism for breast...mechanism in metastatic breast cancer." American Society for Clinical Investigation. Chicago , IL. April 2010. (Appendix 2) 2. Chao Y and Wells A. "E
E-cadherin-mediated cell-cell adhesion prevents invasiveness of human carcinoma cells
The ability of carcinomas to invade and to metastasize largely depends on the degree of epithelial differentiation within the tumors, i.e., poorly differentiated being more invasive than well-differentiated carcinomas. Here we confirmed this correlation by examining various human cell lines derived from bladder, breast, lung, and pancreas carcinomas. We found that carcinoma cell lines with an epithelioid phenotype were noninvasive and expressed the epithelium-specific cell- cell adhesion molecule E-cadherin (also known as Arc-1, uvomorulin, and cell-CAM 120/80), as visualized by immunofluorescence microscopy and by Western and Northern blotting, whereas carcinoma cell lines with a fibroblastoid phenotype were invasive and had lost E-cadherin expression. Invasiveness of these latter cells could be prevented by transfection with E-cadherin cDNA and was again induced by treatment of the transfected cells with anti-E-cadherin mAbs. These findings indicate that the selective loss of E-cadherin expression can generate dedifferentiation and invasiveness of human carcinoma cells, and they suggest further that E-cadherin acts as an invasion suppressor. PMID:2007622
Diffuse growth pattern affects E-cadherin expression in invasive breast cancer.
Brinck, Ulrich; Jacobs, Susanne; Neuss, Michael; Tory, Kalman; Rath, Werner; Kulle, Bettina; Füzesi, Laszlo
We investigated the correlations between growth patterns and E-cadherin expression by immunohistochemistry and the presence of mutations of exons 6-10 of the E-cadherin gene by PCR-SSCP, in 79 cases of invasive lobular and ductal breast cancer. E-cadherin expression showed a tendency to be lower in lobular than in ductal carcinomas (p=0.064). In 60% of lobular carcinomas the diffuse growth pattern and in 72% of ductal carcinomas the compact growth pattern predominated. E-cadherin expression was significantly lower in diffuse than in compact tumor area (p<0.001) and not related to carcinoma type when it was considered in tumor areas with either diffuse (p=0.278) or compact (p=0.128) growth pattern. No mutations were detected. In conclusion, loss of E-cadherin expression is related to an increase of diffuse growth pattern in both lobular and ductal types of breast cancer, and the differential proportions of growth patterns in both tumor types cause the tendency for lower E-cadherin expression in the lobular type.
The Integrated Role of Wnt/β-Catenin, N-Glycosylation, and E-Cadherin-Mediated Adhesion in Network Dynamics
Vargas, Diego A.; Sun, Meng; Sadykov, Khikmet; Kukuruzinska, Maria A.; Zaman, Muhammad H.
The cellular network composed of the evolutionarily conserved metabolic pathways of protein N-glycosylation, Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway, and E-cadherin-mediated cell-cell adhesion plays pivotal roles in determining the balance between cell proliferation and intercellular adhesion during development and in maintaining homeostasis in differentiated tissues. These pathways share a highly conserved regulatory molecule, β-catenin, which functions as both a structural component of E-cadherin junctions and as a co-transcriptional activator of the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway, whose target is the N-glycosylation-regulating gene, DPAGT1. Whereas these pathways have been studied independently, little is known about the dynamics of their interaction. Here we present the first numerical model of this network in MDCK cells. Since the network comprises a large number of molecules with varying cell context and time-dependent levels of expression, it can give rise to a wide range of plausible cellular states that are difficult to track. Using known kinetic parameters for individual reactions in the component pathways, we have developed a theoretical framework and gained new insights into cellular regulation of the network. Specifically, we developed a mathematical model to quantify the fold-change in concentration of any molecule included in the mathematical representation of the network in response to a simulated activation of the Wnt/ β-catenin pathway with Wnt3a under different conditions. We quantified the importance of protein N-glycosylation and synthesis of the DPAGT1 encoded enzyme, GPT, in determining the abundance of cytoplasmic β-catenin. We confirmed the role of axin in β-catenin degradation. Finally, our data suggest that cell-cell adhesion is insensitive to E-cadherin recycling in the cell. We validate the model by inhibiting β-catenin-mediated activation of DPAGT1 expression and predicting changes in cytoplasmic β-catenin concentration and stability
CRH suppressed TGFβ1-induced Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition via induction of E-cadherin in breast cancer cells.
Jin, Lai; Chen, Jiandong; Li, Li; Li, Chuanhua; Chen, Cheng; Li, Shengnan
Since its discovery in biopsies from breast cancer patients, the effect of corticotropin-releasing hormone (CRH) on carcinoma progression is still unclear. Transforming growth factorβ1 (TGFβ1) promotes Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition (EMT) and induces Snail1 and Twist1 expressions. Loss of epithelial cadherin (E-cadherin) mainly repressed by Snail1 and Twist1, has been considered as hallmark of Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition (EMT). Two breast cancer cell lines, MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231 were used to investigate the effect of CRH on TGFβ1-induced EMT by transwell chamber. And HEK293 cells were transiently transfected with CRHR1 or CRHR2 to explore the definite effects of CRH receptor. We reported that CRH inhibited migration of human breast cancer cells through downregulation of Snail1 and Twist1, and subsequent upregulation of E-cadherin. CRH inhibited TGFβ1-mediated migration of MCF-7 via both CRHR1 and CRHR2 while this inhibition in MDA-MB-231 was mainly via CRHR2. Ectopic re-expression of CRHR1 or CRHR2 respectively in HEK293 cells increased E-cadherin expression after CRH stimulation. Furthermore, CRH repressed expression of mesenchymal marker, N-cadherin and induced expression of Occludin, inhibiting EMT in MCF-7 & MDA-MB-231. Our results suggest that CRH may function as a tumor suppressor, at least partly by regulating TGFβ1-mediated EMT. These results may contribute to uncovering the effect of CRH in breast tumorigenesis and progression.
Dragon (repulsive guidance molecule RGMb) inhibits E-cadherin expression and induces apoptosis in renal tubular epithelial cells.
Liu, Wenjing; Li, Xiaoling; Zhao, Yueshui; Meng, Xiao-Ming; Wan, Chao; Yang, Baoxue; Lan, Hui-Yao; Lin, Herbert Y; Xia, Yin
Dragon is one of the three members of the repulsive guidance molecule (RGM) family, i.e. RGMa, RGMb (Dragon), and RGMc (hemojuvelin). We previously identified the RGM members as bone morphogenetic protein (BMP) co-receptors that enhance BMP signaling. Our previous studies found that Dragon is highly expressed in the tubular epithelial cells of mouse kidneys. However, the roles of Dragon in renal epithelial cells are yet to be defined. We now show that overexpression of Dragon increased cell death induced by hypoxia in association with increased cleaved poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase and cleaved caspase-3 levels in mouse inner medullary collecting duct (IMCD3) cells. Dragon also inhibited E-cadherin expression but did not affect epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition induced by TGF-β in IMCD3 cells. Previous studies suggest that the three RGM members can function as ligands for the receptor neogenin. Interestingly, our present study demonstrates that the Dragon actions on apoptosis and E-cadherin expression in IMCD3 cells were mediated by the neogenin receptor but not through the BMP pathway. Dragon expression in the kidney was up-regulated by unilateral ureteral obstruction in mice. Compared with wild-type mice, heterozygous Dragon knock-out mice exhibited 45-66% reduction in Dragon mRNA expression, decreased epithelial apoptosis, and increased tubular E-cadherin expression and had attenuated tubular injury after unilateral ureteral obstruction. Our results suggest that Dragon may impair tubular epithelial integrity and induce epithelial apoptosis both in vitro and in vivo.
E-cadherin determines Caveolin-1 tumor suppression or metastasis enhancing function in melanoma cells.
Lobos-González, Lorena; Aguilar, Lorena; Diaz, Jorge; Diaz, Natalia; Urra, Hery; Torres, Vicente A; Silva, Veronica; Fitzpatrick, Christopher; Lladser, Alvaro; Hoek, Keith S; Leyton, Lisette; Quest, Andrew F G
The role of caveolin-1 (CAV1) in cancer is highly controversial. CAV1 suppresses genes that favor tumor development, yet also promotes focal adhesion turnover and migration of metastatic cells. How these contrasting observations relate to CAV1 function in vivo is unclear. Our previous studies implicate E-cadherin in CAV1-dependent tumor suppression. Here, we use murine melanoma B16F10 cells, with low levels of endogenous CAV1 and E-cadherin, to unravel how CAV1 affects tumor growth and metastasis and to assess how co-expression of E-cadherin modulates CAV1 function in vivo in C57BL/6 mice. We find that overexpression of CAV1 in B16F10 (cav-1) cells reduces subcutaneous tumor formation, but enhances metastasis relative to control cells. Furthermore, E-cadherin expression in B16F10 (E-cad) cells reduces subcutaneous tumor formation and lung metastasis when intravenously injected. Importantly, co-expression of CAV1 and E-cadherin in B16F10 (cav-1/E-cad) cells abolishes tumor formation, lung metastasis, increased Rac-1 activity, and cell migration observed with B16F10 (cav-1) cells. Finally, consistent with the notion that CAV1 participates in switching human melanomas to a more malignant phenotype, elevated levels of CAV1 expression correlated with enhanced migration and Rac-1 activation in these cells.
Molecular basis for disruption of E-cadherin adhesion by botulinum neurotoxin A complex
Lee, Kwangkook; Zhong, Xiaofen; Gu, Shenyan; Kruel, Anna Magdalena; Dorner, Martin B.; Perry, Kay; Rummel, Andreas; Dong, Min; Jin, Rongsheng
How botulinum neurotoxins (BoNTs) cross the host intestinal epithelial barrier in foodborne botulism is poorly understood. Here, we present the crystal structure of a clostridial hemagglutinin (HA) complex of serotype BoNT/A bound to the cell adhesion protein E-cadherin at 2.4 Ångströms. The HA complex recognizes E-cadherin with high specificity involving extensive intermolecular interactions and also binds to carbohydrates on the cell surface. Binding of HA complex sequesters E-cadherin in the monomeric state thereby compromising the E-cadherin-mediated intercellular barrier and facilitating paracellular absorption of BoNT/A. We reconstituted the complete 14-subunit BoNT/A complex using recombinantly-produced components and demonstrated that abolishing either E-cadherin- or carbohydrate-binding of HA complex drastically reduces oral toxicity of BoNT/A complex in vivo. Together, these studies establish the molecular mechanism of how HAs contribute to the oral toxicity of BoNT/A. PMID:24948737
p63 and E-cadherin Expression in Canine Oral Squamous Cell Carcinoma.
Mestrinho, L A; Pissarra, H; Faísca, P B; Bragança, M; Peleteiro, M C; Niza, M M R E
The expression of p63 and E-cadherin was studied in 22 oral squamous cell carcinomas in the dog according to immunohistochemical techniques. The association between these markers and clinicopathologic parameters was assessed. All tumor cells studied showed enhanced p63 expression. Regarding E-cadherin expression, 17 of 22 cases (77.3%) showed decreased immunoreactivity, and in 13 of 22 cases (59.1%), its expression was cytoplasmic. Neither p63 nor E-cadherin expression patterns were associated with tumor size, bone invasion, or lymph node metastasis. p63 score was related to proliferating cell nuclear antigen proliferative index (P = .020). A statistically significant correlation between the expression patterns of these 2 markers was noted (P = .026). Furthermore, they were related with tumor grade. An atypical p63 labeling and a cytoplasmic E-cadherin staining were statistically related with a higher tumor grade (P = .022 and P = .017, respectively). These findings suggest that changes in p63 and E-cadherin expression are frequent events in oral squamous cell carcinoma in dogs.
Expression and significance of E-cadherin and β-catenins in pituitary adenoma.
Zhou, Kaiyu; Jin, Hanghuang; Luo, Yongkang
This study used immunohistochemical methods for detecting the expression of E-cadherin and β-catenin in pituitary adenoma. Specimens were collected from 91 cases. EnVision was used for immunohistochemical staining. The results were graded depending on the staining intensity and range. Associations between E-cadherin and β-catenin expression and tumor subtype, invasiveness, and postoperative recurrence were investigated. There was a significant downregulation of E-cadherin and β-catenin in growth hormone (GH)-type tumors when compared with prolactin-type tumors (u(c) = 2.693 and 2.109, respectively; P < .05). E-cadherin and β-catenin were downregulated in invasive pituitary adenomas (u(c) = 3.563 and 4.166, respectively; P < .05) and in clinically recurring pituitary adenomas (u(c) = 2.871 and 3.866, respectively; P < .05). There was no difference in the percentage of invasive prolactin and GH secreting tumors (28.57% and 22.86%, respectively; P > .05). The expression of E-cadherin and β-catenin in pituitary adenoma was significantly downregulated and related to subtype, invasiveness, and postoperative recurrence.
Matrix metalloproteinases and E-cadherin immunoreactivity in different basal cell carcinoma histological types.
Vanjaka-Rogošić, Lucija; Puizina-Ivić, Neira; Mirić, Lina; Rogošić, Veljko; Kuzmić-Prusac, Ivana; Babić, Mirna Saraga; Vuković, Dubravka; Mardešić, Snježana
The immunohistochemical staining of matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) and E-cadherin in tumor epithelial and stromal cells was analyzed in a group of solid, superficial spreading and cystic tumors and in a group of morpheaform and recurrent basal cell carcinomas (BCC) in order to determine whether any of these factors possibly contribute to tumor therapy resistance. Tumor tissues of 64 patients were obtained by complete excisional or curettage biopsy of BCC and these were immunohistochemically stained for MMP-1, MMP-2, MMP-9, MMP-13 and E-cadherin. In the morpheaform and recurrent BCC, MMP-9 expression significantly increased in the stroma, while E-cadherin expression was negative in epithelial cells. Odds ratio for development of morpheaform and recurrent BCC was 6.2 for positive MMP-1 immunostaining in epithelial tumor cells, 5.8 for positive MMP-9 immunostaining in tumor stroma, 3.2 for positive MMP-13 immunostaining in tumor stroma, and 4.5 for negative E-cadherin in epithelial tumor cells. Our results suggest that MMP-1 immunostaining in tumor cells, MMP-9 expression in stromal cells, and absence of E-cadherin expression are associated with morpheaform and recurrent BCC.
E-cadherin determines Caveolin-1 tumor suppression or metastasis enhancing function in melanoma cells
Lobos-González, L; Aguilar, L; Diaz, J; Diaz, N; Urra, H; Torres, V; Silva, V; Fitzpatrick, C; Lladser, A; Hoek, K.S.; Leyton, L; Quest, AFG
SUMMARY The role of caveolin-1 (CAV1) in cancer is highly controversial. CAV1 suppresses genes that favor tumor development, yet also promotes focal adhesion turnover and migration of metastatic cells. How these contrasting observations relate to CAV1 function in vivo is unclear. Our previous studies implicate E-cadherin in CAV1-dependent tumor suppression. Here we use murine melanoma B16F10 cells, with low levels of endogenous CAV1 and E-cadherin, to unravel how CAV1 affects tumor growth and metastasis, and to assess how co-expression of E-cadherin modulates CAV1 function in vivo in C57BL/6 mice. We find that overexpression of CAV1 in B16F10(cav-1) cells reduces subcutaneous tumor formation, but enhances metastasis relative to control cells. Furthermore, E-cadherin expression in B16F10(E-cad) cells reduces subcutaneous tumor formation, and lung metastasis when intravenously injected. Importantly, co-expression of CAV1 and E-cadherin in B16F10(cav1/E-cad) cells abolishes tumor formation, lung metastasis, increased Rac-1 activity and cell migration observed with B16F10(cav-1) cells. Finally, consistent with the notion that CAV1 participates in switching human melanomas to a more malignant phenotype, elevated levels of CAV1 expression correlated with enhanced migration and Rac-1 activation in these cells. PMID:23470013
E-cadherin and beta-catenin expression in breast medullary carcinomas.
Charpin, C; Bonnier, P; Garcia, S; Andrac, L; Crebassa, B; Dorel, M; Lavaut, M N; Allasia, C
The initial step of cancer invasion and metastasis is the escape of tumour cells from the primary site, involving disruption of normal cell-cell adhesion and E-cadherin (E-cad) and beta-catenin (beta-cat) down-regulation, as shown in various types of human malignancies including breast carcinomas. Medullary carcinomas are high grade and poorly differentiated tumours with syncytial typical pattern, and prognosis unexpectedly better than that in high grade breast carcinomas. In a series of 55 breast typical medullary carcinomas diagnosed according to the strict use of Ridolfi et al (Cancer 40: 1365-1385, 1977) criteria, E-cad and beta-cat were investigated using quantitative (SAMBA 2005 system) immunocytochemical assays on frozen sections. Results were compared to that obtained on paraffin sections and in a series (n=55) of grade 3 ductal carcinomas. It was shown that medullary carcinomas significantly (p<0.001) expressed more E-cad and beta-cat than grade 3 ductal carcinomas. E-cad and beta-cat correlated with high expression of P53, of c-erbB, and of Ki-67 antigens, and with lack of hormone receptors antigenic sites (p<0.001). It was concluded that favourable prognosis and syncytial pattern of typical breast medullary carcinomas likely results, at least partly, from a particular expression of cell-cell adhesion molecules, significantly limiting tumour growth and efficiently mastering the tumour cell dissemination, opposing to high proliferative activity (grade 3).
E-cadherin cytoplasmic domain inhibits cell surface localization of endogenous cadherins and fusion of C2C12 myoblasts.
Ozawa, Masayuki
Myoblast fusion is a highly regulated process that is essential for skeletal muscle formation during muscle development and regeneration in mammals. Much remains to be elucidated about the molecular mechanism of myoblast fusion although cadherins, which are Ca(2+)-dependent cell-cell adhesion molecules, are thought to play a critical role in this process. Mouse myoblasts lacking either N-cadherin or M-cadherin can still fuse to form myotubes, indicating that they have no specific function in this process and may be functionally replaced by either M-cadherin or N-cadherin, respectively. In this study, we show that expressing the E-cadherin cytoplasmic domain ectopically in C2C12 myoblasts inhibits cell surface localization of endogenous M-cadherin and N-cadherin, as well as cell-cell fusion. This domain, however, does not inhibit myoblast differentiation according to microarray-based gene expression analysis. In contrast, expressing a dominant-negative β-catenin mutant ectopically, which suppresses Wnt/β-catenin signaling, did not inhibit cell-cell fusion. Therefore, the E-cadherin cytoplasmic domain inhibits cell-cell fusion by inhibiting cell surface localization of endogenous cadherins and not by inhibiting Wnt/β-catenin signaling.
Co-culturing human prostate carcinoma cells with hepatocytes leads to increased expression of E-cadherin
Yates, C C; Shepard, C R; Stolz, D B; Wells, A
Metastasis is a multi-step process wherein tumour cells detach from the primary mass, migrate through barrier matrices, gain access to conduits to disseminate, and subsequently survive and proliferate in an ectopic site. During the initial invasion stage, prostate carcinoma cells undergo epithelial–mesenchymal-like transition with gain of autocrine signalling and loss of E-cadherin, hallmarks that appear to enable invasion and dissemination. However, some metastases express E-cadherin, and we found close connections between prostate carcinoma cells and hepatocytes in a liver microtissue bioreactor. We hypothesise that phenotypic plasticity occurs late in prostate cancer progression at the site of ectopic seeding. Immunofluorescence staining for E-cadherin in co-cultures of hepatocytes and DU-145 prostate cancer cells revealed E-cadherin upregulation at peripheral sites of contact by day 2 of co-culture; E-cadherin expression also increased in PC-3 cells in co-culture. These carcinoma cells bound to hepatocytes in an E-cadherin-dependent manner. Although the signals by which the hepatocytes elicited E-cadherin expression remain undetermined, it appeared related to downregulation of epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) signalling. Inhibition of autocrine EGFR signalling increased E-cadherin expression and cell–cell heterotypic adhesion; further, expression of a downregulation-resistant EGFR variant prevented E-cadherin upregulation. These findings were supported by finding E-cadherin and catenins but not activated EGFR in human prostate metastases to the liver. We conclude that the term epithelial–mesenchymal transition only summarises the transient downregulation of E-cadherin for invasion with re-expression of E-cadherin being a physiological consequence of metastatic seeding. PMID:17406365
Protein N-glycosylation in oral cancer: dysregulated cellular networks among DPAGT1, E-cadherin adhesion and canonical Wnt signaling.
Varelas, Xaralabos; Bouchie, Meghan P; Kukuruzinska, Maria A
N-Linked glycosylation (N-glycosylation) of proteins has long been associated with oncogenesis, but not until recently have the molecular mechanisms underlying this relationship begun to be unraveled. Here, we review studies describing how dysregulation of the N-glycosylation-regulating gene, DPAGT1, drives oral cancer. DPAGT1 encodes the first and rate-limiting enzyme in the assembly of the lipid-linked oligosaccharide precursor in the endoplasmic reticulum and thus mediates N-glycosylation of many cancer-related proteins. DPAGT1 controls N-glycosylation of E-cadherin, the major epithelial cell-cell adhesion receptor and a tumor suppressor, thereby affecting intercellular adhesion and cytoskeletal dynamics. DPAGT1 also regulates and is regulated by Wnt/β-catenin signaling, impacting the balance between proliferation and adhesion in homeostatic tissues. Thus, aberrant induction of DPAGT1 promotes a positive feedback network with Wnt/β-catenin that represses E-cadherin-based adhesion and drives tumorigenic phenotypes. Further, modification of receptor tyrosine kinases (RTKs) with N-glycans is known to control their surface presentation via the galectin lattice, and thus increased DPAGT1 expression likely contributes to abnormal activation of RTKs in oral cancer. Collectively, these studies suggest that dysregulation of the DPAGT1/Wnt/E-cadherin network underlies the etiology and pathogenesis of oral cancer.
Dysregulated expression of Snail and E-cadherin correlates with gastrointestinal stromal tumor metastasis.
Liu, Sheng; Liao, Guoqing; Ding, Jie; Ye, Ke; Zhang, Yi; Zeng, Liang; Chen, Senlin
Snail, a zinc finger structure transcription inhibitory factor, has been reported to play an important role in the metastatic progression of several types of cancer. The aim of the study was to identify potential biomarkers for metastasis in gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GISTs) by examining the expression levels of Snail, E-cadherin, and Vimentin in GISTs and investigate their clinical significance. The protein expression of Snail, E-cadherin, and Vimentin in 74 GIST specimens was detected by immunohistochemical analysis, and the correlation between expression levels and clinicopathological data was analyzed. Snail, E-cadherin, and Vimentin were positively expressed in 51.4% (38/74), 32.4% (24/74), and 68.9% (51/74) of GIST tissue samples, respectively. Snail protein expression was significantly higher in GISTs with distant metastasis compared with GISTs without distant metastasis (P<0.05). E-cadherin expression level was significantly lower in cases of GIST with distant metastasis compared with those without distant metastasis (P<0.05), whereas the expression level of Vimentin did not significantly change according to clinical and pathological characteristics (all P>0.05). Snail expression was significantly negatively correlated with E-cadherin expression (r's=-0.276, P=0.017) but not with Vimentin expression (r's=0.041, P=0.728) in GISTs. High Snail expression and low E-cadherin expression were significantly correlated with metastasis in GISTs, and Snail, because of positive correlation, is potentially a biomarker of GIST with distant metastasis.
Nuclear translocation of Acinetobacter baumannii transposase induces DNA methylation of CpG regions in the promoters of E-cadherin gene.
Moon, Dong Chan; Choi, Chul Hee; Lee, Su Man; Lee, Jung Hwa; Kim, Seung Il; Kim, Dong Sun; Lee, Je Chul
Nuclear targeting of bacterial proteins has emerged as a pathogenic mechanism whereby bacterial proteins induce host cell pathology. In this study, we examined nuclear targeting of Acinetobacter baumannii transposase (Tnp) and subsequent epigenetic changes in host cells. Tnp of A. baumannii ATCC 17978 possesses nuclear localization signals (NLSs), (225)RKRKRK(230). Transient expression of A. baumannii Tnp fused with green fluorescent protein (GFP) resulted in the nuclear localization of these proteins in COS-7 cells, whereas the truncated Tnp without NLSs fused with GFP were exclusively localized in the cytoplasm. A. baumannii Tnp was found in outer membrane vesicles, which delivered this protein to the nucleus of host cells. Nuclear expression of A. baumannii Tnp fused with GFP in A549 cells induced DNA methylation of CpG regions in the promoters of E-cadherin (CDH1) gene, whereas the cytoplasmic localization of the truncated Tnp without NLSs fused with GFP did not induce DNA methylation. DNA methylation in the promoters of E-cadherin gene induced by nuclear targeting of A. baumannii Tnp resulted in down-regulation of gene expression. In conclusion, our data show that nuclear traffic of A. baumannii Tnp induces DNA methylation of CpG regions in the promoters of E-cadherin gene, which subsequently down-regulates gene expression. This study provides a new insight into the epigenetic control of host genes by bacterial proteins.
Formin-mediated actin polymerization at cell–cell junctions stabilizes E-cadherin and maintains monolayer integrity during wound repair
Rao, Megha Vaman; Zaidel-Bar, Ronen
Cadherin-mediated cell–cell adhesion is required for epithelial tissue integrity in homeostasis, during development, and in tissue repair. E-cadherin stability depends on F-actin, but the mechanisms regulating actin polymerization at cell–cell junctions remain poorly understood. Here we investigated a role for formin-mediated actin polymerization at cell–cell junctions. We identify mDia1 and Fmnl3 as major factors enhancing actin polymerization and stabilizing E-cadherin at epithelial junctions. Fmnl3 localizes to adherens junctions downstream of Src and Cdc42 and its depletion leads to a reduction in F-actin and E-cadherin at junctions and a weakening of cell–cell adhesion. Of importance, Fmnl3 expression is up-regulated and junctional localization increases during collective cell migration. Depletion of Fmnl3 or mDia1 in migrating monolayers results in dissociation of leader cells and impaired wound repair. In summary, our results show that formin activity at epithelial cell–cell junctions is important for adhesion and the maintenance of epithelial cohesion during dynamic processes, such as wound repair. PMID:27440924
Expression of inappropriate cadherins by epithelial tumor cells promotes endocytosis and degradation of E-cadherin via competition for p120(ctn).
Maeda, M; Johnson, E; Mandal, S H; Lawson, K R; Keim, S A; Svoboda, R A; Caplan, S; Wahl, J K; Wheelock, M J; Johnson, K R
Cadherin cell-cell adhesion proteins play an important role in modulating the behavior of tumor cells. E-cadherin serves as a suppressor of tumor cell invasion, and when tumor cells turn on the expression of a non-epithelial cadherin, they often express less E-cadherin, enhancing the tumorigenic phenotype of the cells. Here, we show that when A431 cells are forced to express R-cadherin, they dramatically downregulate the expression of endogenous E- and P-cadherin. In addition, we show that this downregulation is owing to increased turnover of the endogenous cadherins via clathrin-dependent endocytosis. p120(ctn) binds to the juxtamembrane domain of classical cadherins and has been proposed to regulate cadherin adhesive activity. One way p120(ctn) may accomplish this is to serve as a rheostat to regulate the levels of cadherin. Here, we show that the degradation of E-cadherin in response to expression of R-cadherin is owing to competition for p120(ctn).
TIMP-2 modulates cancer cell transcriptional profile and enhances E-cadherin/beta-catenin complex expression in A549 lung cancer cells
Bourboulia, Dimitra; Han, HuiYing; Isaac, Biju; Wei, Beiyang; Neckers, Len; Stetler-Stevenson, William G.
Tissue Inhibitor of Metalloproteinase 2 (TIMP-2) plays an essential role in regulating matrix remodeling, cell growth, differentiation, angiogenesis and apoptosis in vitro and in vivo. We have recently shown that TIMP-2-mediated inhibition of tumor growth is independent of matrix metalloproteinase-mediated mechanisms, and is a consequence of modulating both the tumor cells and the tumor microenvironment. In the current study we aim to identify the molecular pathways associated with these effects. We analyzed the transcriptional profile of the human lung cancer cell line A549 upon overexpression of TIMP-2 and Ala+TIMP-2 (mutant that does not inhibit MMP activity), and we found changes in gene expression predominantly related to decreased tumor development and metastasis. Increased E-cadherin expression in response to both TIMP-2 and Ala+TIMP-2 expression was confirmed by real time quantitative RT-PCR and immunoblotting. A549 cells treated with epidermal growth factor (EGF) displayed loss of cobblestone morphology and cell-cell contact, while cells overexpressing TIMP-2 or Ala+TIMP-2 were resistant to EGF-induced morphological changes. Moreover, exogenous treatment with recombinant Ala+TIMP-2 blocked EGF induced down-regulation of E-cadherin. In vivo, immunohistochemistry of A549 xenografts expressing either TIMP-2 or Ala+TIMP-2 demonstrated increased E-cadherin protein levels. More importantly, transcriptional profile analysis of tumor tissue revealed critical pathways associated with effects on tumor-host interaction and inhibition of tumor growth. In conclusion, we show that TIMP-2 promotes an anti-tumoral transcriptional profile in vitro and in vivo, including upregulation of E-cadherin, in A549 lung cancer cells. PMID:23371049
E-cadherin's role in development, tissue homeostasis and disease: Insights from mouse models: Tissue-specific inactivation of the adhesion protein E-cadherin in mice reveals its functions in health and disease.
Schneider, Marlon R; Kolligs, Frank T
Recent studies uncovered critical roles of the adhesion protein E-cadherin in health and disease. Global inactivation of Cdh1, the gene encoding E-cadherin in mice, results in early embryonic lethality due to an inability to form the trophectodermal epithelium. To unravel E-cadherin's functions beyond development, numerous mouse lines with tissue-specific disruption of Cdh1 have been generated. The consequences of E-cadherin loss showed great variability depending on the tissue in question, ranging from nearly undetectable changes to a complete loss of tissue structure and function. This review focuses on these studies and discusses how they provided important insights into E-cadherin's role in cell adhesion, proliferation and differentiation, and its consequences for biological processes as epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition, vascularization, and carcinogenesis. Lastly, we present some perspectives and possible approaches for future research.
Twist1-induced dissemination preserves epithelial identity and requires E-cadherin
Shamir, Eliah R.; Pappalardo, Elisa; Jorgens, Danielle M.; Coutinho, Kester; Tsai, Wen-Ting; Aziz, Khaled; Auer, Manfred; Tran, Phuoc T.; Bader, Joel S.
Dissemination of epithelial cells is a critical step in metastatic spread. Molecular models of dissemination focus on loss of E-cadherin or repression of cell adhesion through an epithelial to mesenchymal transition (EMT). We sought to define the minimum molecular events necessary to induce dissemination of cells out of primary murine mammary epithelium. Deletion of E-cadherin disrupted epithelial architecture and morphogenesis but only rarely resulted in dissemination. In contrast, expression of the EMT transcription factor Twist1 induced rapid dissemination of cytokeratin-positive epithelial cells. Twist1 induced dramatic transcriptional changes in extracellular compartment and cell–matrix adhesion genes but not in cell–cell adhesion genes. Surprisingly, we observed disseminating cells with membrane-localized E-cadherin and β-catenin, and E-cadherin knockdown strongly inhibited Twist1-induced single cell dissemination. Dissemination can therefore occur with retention of epithelial cell identity. The spread of cancer cells during metastasis could similarly involve activation of an epithelial motility program without requiring a transition from epithelial to mesenchymal character. PMID:24590176
Polarized E-cadherin endocytosis directs actomyosin remodeling during embryonic wound repair.
Hunter, Miranda V; Lee, Donghoon M; Harris, Tony J C; Fernandez-Gonzalez, Rodrigo
Embryonic epithelia have a remarkable ability to rapidly repair wounds. A supracellular actomyosin cable around the wound coordinates cellular movements and promotes wound closure. Actomyosin cable formation is accompanied by junctional rearrangements at the wound margin. We used in vivo time-lapse quantitative microscopy to show that clathrin, dynamin, and the ADP-ribosylation factor 6, three components of the endocytic machinery, accumulate around wounds in Drosophila melanogaster embryos in a process that requires calcium signaling and actomyosin contractility. Blocking endocytosis with pharmacological or genetic approaches disrupted wound repair. The defect in wound closure was accompanied by impaired removal of E-cadherin from the wound edge and defective actomyosin cable assembly. E-cadherin overexpression also resulted in reduced actin accumulation around wounds and slower wound closure. Reducing E-cadherin levels in embryos in which endocytosis was blocked rescued actin localization to the wound margin. Our results demonstrate a central role for endocytosis in wound healing and indicate that polarized E-cadherin endocytosis is necessary for actomyosin remodeling during embryonic wound repair.
Polarized E-cadherin endocytosis directs actomyosin remodeling during embryonic wound repair
Hunter, Miranda V.; Lee, Donghoon M.; Harris, Tony J.C.
Embryonic epithelia have a remarkable ability to rapidly repair wounds. A supracellular actomyosin cable around the wound coordinates cellular movements and promotes wound closure. Actomyosin cable formation is accompanied by junctional rearrangements at the wound margin. We used in vivo time-lapse quantitative microscopy to show that clathrin, dynamin, and the ADP-ribosylation factor 6, three components of the endocytic machinery, accumulate around wounds in Drosophila melanogaster embryos in a process that requires calcium signaling and actomyosin contractility. Blocking endocytosis with pharmacological or genetic approaches disrupted wound repair. The defect in wound closure was accompanied by impaired removal of E-cadherin from the wound edge and defective actomyosin cable assembly. E-cadherin overexpression also resulted in reduced actin accumulation around wounds and slower wound closure. Reducing E-cadherin levels in embryos in which endocytosis was blocked rescued actin localization to the wound margin. Our results demonstrate a central role for endocytosis in wound healing and indicate that polarized E-cadherin endocytosis is necessary for actomyosin remodeling during embryonic wound repair. PMID:26304727
PRL-3 and E-cadherin show mutual interactions and participate in lymph node metastasis formation in gastric cancer.
Pryczynicz, Anna; Guzińska-Ustymowicz, Katarzyna; Niewiarowska, Katarzyna; Cepowicz, Dariusz; Kemona, Andrzej
E-cadherin, a transmembrane adhesion molecule, and phosphatase of regenerating liver 3 (PRL-3) protein, a member of the family of tyrosine phosphatases, seem to be responsible for cancer cell migration. Therefore, the study objective was to determine a correlation between PRL-3 and E-cadherin, to assess their expression in neoplastic tissue and normal mucosa of the stomach, to analyze their effect on cancer advancement, and to evaluate their potential as prognostic markers in gastric cancer. The expressions of PRL-3 and E-cadherin were assessed immunohistochemically in 71 patients with gastric cancer. Positive expression of PRL-3 was observed in 42.2 % of gastric cancer cases, whereas E-cadherin expression was abnormal in 38 % of cases. The study revealed that the positive PRL-3 expression and abnormal E-cadherin expression were associated with mucinous gastric carcinoma and lymph node involvement. The former was also related to the infiltrating type of tumor and abnormal E-cadherin expression. The expression of PRL-3, but not of E-cadherin, was associated with shorter survival of patients. PRL-3 and E-cadherin exhibit interactions in gastric cancer and are involved in the formation of lymph node metastases. The PRL-3 protein can be an independent predictive factor of overall survival in gastric cancer patients.
Construction and characteristics of an E-cadherin-related three-dimensional suspension growth model of ovarian cancer
Xu, Shan; Yang, Ya'nan; Dong, Lingling; Qiu, Wenlong; Yang, Lu; Wang, Xiuwen; Liu, Lian
Ovarian cancer is the deadliest of all gynecologic malignancies. Metastatic ovarian cancer cells exist mainly in the form of multi-cellular spheroids (MCSs) in the ascites of patients with advanced ovarian cancer. We hypothesized that E-cadherin, as an important cell-adhesion molecule, might play an important role in the formation and survival of MCSs. Therefore, we established a three-dimensional suspension culture model of ovarian cancer cells that express high levels of E-cadherin to investigate their growth, proliferation, and resistance to chemotherapeutic drugs by CCK-8 assays. Compared to the cell suspension masses formed by cells with low or absent E-cadherin expression, the MCSs of high E-cadherin SKOV-3 cells had larger volumes, tighter cellular connections, and longer survival times. Although the suspension cell masses of all three cell lines were proliferatively stagnant, possibly due to cell cycle arrest at G1/S, cell mortality at 72 h after cisplatin treatment was significantly decreased in the high E-cadherin SKOV-3 cells compared to SKOV-3 cells without E-cadherin expression and to OVCAR-3 cells with low E-cadherin expression. We conclude, therefore, E-cadherin plays a vital role in MCS formation, maintenance, and drug resistance in ovarian cancer and could be a potential target for late-stage ovarian cancer treatment. PMID:25008268
Identification of E-cadherin signature motifs functioning as cleavage sites for Helicobacter pylori HtrA
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Schmidt, Thomas P.; Perna, Anna M.; Fugmann, Tim; Böhm, Manja; Jan Hiss; Haller, Sarah; Götz, Camilla; Tegtmeyer, Nicole; Hoy, Benjamin; Rau, Tilman T.; Neri, Dario; Backert, Steffen; Schneider, Gisbert; Wessler, Silja
The cell adhesion protein and tumour suppressor E-cadherin exhibits important functions in the prevention of gastric cancer. As a class-I carcinogen, Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) has developed a unique strategy to interfere with E-cadherin functions. In previous studies, we have demonstrated that H. pylori secretes the protease high temperature requirement A (HtrA) which cleaves off the E-cadherin ectodomain (NTF) on epithelial cells. This opens cell-to-cell junctions, allowing bacterial transmigration across the polarised epithelium. Here, we investigated the molecular mechanism of the HtrA-E-cadherin interaction and identified E-cadherin cleavage sites for HtrA. Mass-spectrometry-based proteomics and Edman degradation revealed three signature motifs containing the [VITA]-[VITA]-x-x-D-[DN] sequence pattern, which were preferentially cleaved by HtrA. Based on these sites, we developed a substrate-derived peptide inhibitor that selectively bound and inhibited HtrA, thereby blocking transmigration of H. pylori. The discovery of HtrA-targeted signature sites might further explain why we detected a stable 90 kDa NTF fragment during H. pylori infection, but also additional E-cadherin fragments ranging from 105 kDa to 48 kDa in in vitro cleavage experiments. In conclusion, HtrA targets E-cadherin signature sites that are accessible in in vitro reactions, but might be partially masked on epithelial cells through functional homophilic E-cadherin interactions.
Alternate RASSF1 Transcripts Control SRC Activity, E-Cadherin Contacts, and YAP-Mediated Invasion
Vlahov, Nikola; Scrace, Simon; Soto, Manuel Sarmiento; Grawenda, Anna M.; Bradley, Leanne; Pankova, Daniela; Papaspyropoulos, Angelos; Yee, Karen S.; Buffa, Francesca; Goding, Colin R.; Timpson, Paul; Sibson, Nicola; O'Neill, Eric
Summary Tumor progression to invasive carcinoma is associated with activation of SRC family kinase (SRC, YES, FYN) activity and loss of cellular cohesion. The hippo pathway-regulated cofactor YAP1 supports the tumorigenicity of RAS mutations but requires both inactivation of hippo signaling and YES-mediated phosphorylation of YAP1 for oncogenic activity. Exactly how SRC kinases are activated and hippo signaling is lost in sporadic human malignancies remains unknown. Here, we provide evidence that hippo-mediated inhibition of YAP1 is lost upon promoter methylation of the RAS effector and hippo kinase scaffold RASSF1A. We find that RASSF1A promoter methylation reduces YAP phospho-S127, which derepresses YAP1, and actively supports YAP1 activation by switching RASSF1 transcription to the independently transcribed RASSF1C isoform that promotes Tyr kinase activity. Using affinity proteomics, proximity ligation, and real-time molecular visualization, we find that RASSF1C targets SRC/YES to epithelial cell-cell junctions and promotes tyrosine phosphorylation of E-cadherin, β-catenin, and YAP1. RASSF1A restricts SRC activity, preventing motility, invasion, and tumorigenesis in vitro and in vivo, with epigenetic inactivation correlating with increased inhibitory pY527-SRC in breast tumors. These data imply that distinct RASSF1 isoforms have opposing functions, which provide a biomarker for YAP1 activation and explain correlations of RASSF1 methylation with advanced invasive disease in humans. The ablation of epithelial integrity together with subsequent YAP1 nuclear localization allows transcriptional activation of β-catenin/TBX-YAP/TEAD target genes, including Myc, and an invasive phenotype. These findings define gene transcript switching as a tumor suppressor mechanism under epigenetic control. PMID:26549256
Overexpression of the microRNA hsa-miR-200c leads to reduced expression of transcription factor 8 and increased expression of E-cadherin.
Hurteau, Gregory J; Carlson, J Andrew; Spivack, Simon D; Brock, Graham J
MicroRNAs are approximately 22-nucleotide sequences thought to interact with multiple mRNAs resulting in either translational repression or degradation. We previously reported that several microRNAs had variable expression in mammalian cell lines, and we examined one, miR-200c, in more detail. A combination of bioinformatics and quantitative reverse transcription-PCR was used to identify potential targets and revealed that the zinc finger transcription factor transcription factor 8 (TCF8; also termed ZEB1, deltaEF1, Nil-2-alpha) had inversely proportional expression levels to miR-200c. Knockout experiments using anti-microRNA oligonucleotides increased TCF8 levels but with nonspecific effects. Therefore, to investigate target predictions, we overexpressed miR-200c in select cells lines. Ordinarily, the expression level of miR-200c in non-small-cell lung cancer A549 cells is low in contrast to normal human bronchial epithelial cells. Stable overexpression of miR-200c in A549 cells results in a loss of TCF8, an increase in expression of its regulatory target, E-cadherin, and altered cell morphology. In MCF7 (estrogen receptor-positive breast cancer) cells, there is endogenous expression of miR-200c and E-cadherin but TCF8 is absent. Conversely, MDA-MB-231 (estrogen receptor-negative) cells lack detectable miR-200c and E-cadherin (the latter reportedly due to promoter region methylation) but express TCF8. The ectopic expression of miR-200c in this cell line also reduced levels of TCF8, restored E-cadherin expression, and altered cell morphology. Because the down-regulation of E-cadherin is a crucial event in epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition, loss of miR-200c expression could play a significant role in the initiation of an invasive phenotype, and, equally, miR-200c overexpression holds potential for its reversal.
CDH1 promoter hypermethylation and E-cadherin protein expression in infiltrating breast cancer
Caldeira, José Roberto F; Prando, Érika C; Quevedo, Francisco C; Neto, Francisco A Moraes; Rainho, Cláudia A; Rogatto, Silvia R
Background The E-cadherin gene (CDH1) maps, at chromosome 16q22.1, a region often associated with loss of heterozygosity (LOH) in human breast cancer. LOH at this site is thought to lead to loss of function of this tumor suppressor gene and was correlated with decreased disease-free survival, poor prognosis, and metastasis. Differential CpG island methylation in the promoter region of the CDH1 gene might be an alternative way for the loss of expression and function of E-cadherin, leading to loss of tissue integrity, an essential step in tumor progression. Methods The aim of our study was to assess, by Methylation-Specific Polymerase Chain Reaction (MSP), the methylation pattern of the CDH1 gene and its possible correlation with the expression of E-cadherin and other standard immunohistochemical parameters (Her-2, ER, PgR, p53, and K-67) in a series of 79 primary breast cancers (71 infiltrating ductal, 5 infiltrating lobular, 1 metaplastic, 1 apocrine, and 1 papillary carcinoma). Results CDH1 hypermethylation was observed in 72% of the cases including 52/71 ductal, 4/5 lobular carcinomas and 1 apocrine carcinoma. Reduced levels of E-cadherin protein were observed in 85% of our samples. Although not statistically significant, the levels of E-cadherin expression tended to diminish with the CDH1 promoter region methylation. In the group of 71 ductal cancinomas, most of the cases of showing CDH1 hypermethylation also presented reduced levels of expression of ER and PgR proteins, and a possible association was observed between CDH1 methylation and ER expression (p = 0.0301, Fisher's exact test). However, this finding was not considered significant after Bonferroni correction of p-value. Conclusion Our preliminary findings suggested that abnormal CDH1 methylation occurs in high frequencies in infiltrating breast cancers associated with a decrease in E-cadherin expression in a subgroup of cases characterized by loss of expression of other important genes to the mammary
Preventing E-cadherin aberrant N-glycosylation at Asn-554 improves its critical function in gastric cancer
Carvalho, S; Catarino, TA; Dias, AM; Kato, M; Almeida, A; Hessling, B; Figueiredo, J; Gärtner, F; Sanches, JM; Ruppert, T; Miyoshi, E; Pierce, M; Carneiro, F; Kolarich, D; Seruca, R; Yamaguchi, Y; Taniguchi, N; Reis, CA; Pinho, SS
E-cadherin is a central molecule in the process of gastric carcinogenesis and its posttranslational modifications by N-glycosylation have been described to induce a deleterious effect on cell adhesion associated with tumor cell invasion. However, the role that site-specific glycosylation of E-cadherin has in its defective function in gastric cancer cells needs to be determined. Using transgenic mice models and human clinical samples, we demonstrated that N-acetylglucosaminyltransferase V (GnT-V)-mediated glycosylation causes an abnormal pattern of E-cadherin expression in the gastric mucosa. In vitro models further indicated that, among the four potential N-glycosylation sites of E-cadherin, Asn-554 is the key site that is selectively modified with β1,6 GlcNAc-branched N-glycans catalyzed by GnT-V. This aberrant glycan modification on this specific asparagine site of E-cadherin was demonstrated to affect its critical functions in gastric cancer cells by affecting E-cadherin cellular localization, cis-dimer formation, molecular assembly and stability of the adherens junctions and cell–cell aggregation, which was further observed in human gastric carcinomas. Interestingly, manipulating this site-specific glycosylation, by preventing Asn-554 from receiving the deleterious branched structures, either by a mutation or by silencing GnT-V, resulted in a protective effect on E-cadherin, precluding its functional dysregulation and contributing to tumor suppression. PMID:26189796
Levels of soluble E-cadherin in breast, gastric, and colorectal cancers.
Repetto, Ombretta; De Paoli, Paolo; De Re, Valli; Canzonieri, Vincenzo; Cannizzaro, Renato
Soluble E-cadherin is a 80 kDa protein fragment coming from the proteolytic cleavage of the extracellular domain of the full length epithelial cadherin, a molecule involved in cell adhesion/polarity and tissue morphogenesis. In comparison with normal epithelia, cancer cells show a decreased cadherin-mediated intercellular adhesion, and sE-cad levels normally increase in body fluids (blood and urine). This review focuses on soluble E-cadherin in sera of patients affected by three solid cancers (breast, gastric, and colorectal cancers) and how its levels correlate or not with some cancer parameters (e.g., dimension, progression, and localisation). We will describe the main proteomics approaches adopted to measure sE-cad both in vivo and in vitro and the most important findings about its behaviour in cancer dynamics.
Comparative Evaluation of β-Catenin and E-Cadherin Expression in Liquid Aspiration Biopsy Specimens of Thyroid Nodules.
Isaeva, A V; Zima, A P; Saprina, T V; Kasoyan, K T; Popov, O S; Brynova, O V; Berezkina, I S; Vasil'eva, O A; Ryazantseva, N V; Shabalova, I P; Litvinova, L S; Pak, Yu D; Novitskii, V V
We compared the results of gene molecular and immunocytochemical studies of β-catenin and E-cadherin in different variants of nodular thyroid disease (nodular colloid goiter, follicular thyroid adenocarcinoma, papillary thyroid cancer) and revealed changes of the function of the E-cadherin/β-catenin complex leading to switching from adhesion function of β-catenin in nodular colloid goiter to predominantly transcriptional activity in papillary carcinoma. The results confirm the important role of disturbances in E-cadherin-β-catenin interactions in the mechanisms of malignant transformation of follicular epithelium.
Loss of miR-200b promotes invasion via activating the Kindlin-2/integrin β1/AKT pathway in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma: An E-cadherin-independent mechanism.
Zhang, Hai-Feng; Alshareef, Abdulraheem; Wu, Chengsheng; Li, Shang; Jiao, Ji-Wei; Cao, Hui-Hui; Lai, Raymond; Xu, Li-Yan; Li, En-Min
Our previous studies have shown that loss of miR-200b enhances the invasiveness of esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) cells. However, whether the miR-200-ZEB1/2-E-cadherin regulatory cascade, a master regulator of epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT), is involved in the regulation of ESCC invasion remains elusive. Here, we show that miR-200b represses ESCC cell invasion in vivo without altering the expression of E-cadherin and vimentin, two surrogate markers of EMT. However, an inverse correlation was observed between the expression levels of miR-200b and ZEB1/2 in both ESCC cell lines (n = 7, P < 0.05) and ESCC tumor samples (n = 88, P < 0.05). Methylation of E-cadherin gene was found to block the regulation of E-cadherin by the miR-200b-ZEB1/2 axis, indicating that an E-cadherin-independent mechanism can mediate the biological function of miR-200b in ESCC. We revealed that miR-200b suppresses the integrin β1-AKT pathway via targeting Kindlin-2 to mitigate ESCC cell invasiveness. In two independent cohorts of ESCC samples (n = 20 and n = 53, respectively), Kindlin-2 expression positively correlated with the activation status of both the integrin signaling pathway and the PI3K-AKT signaling pathway (both P < 0.01). These data highlight that suppression of the Kindlin-2-integrin β1-AKT regulatory axis is an alternative mechanism underlying the tumor suppressor function of miR-200b in ESCC.
Loss of miR-200b promotes invasion via activating the Kindlin-2/integrin β1/AKT pathway in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma: An E-cadherin-independent mechanism
Zhang, Hai-Feng; Alshareef, Abdulraheem; Wu, Chengsheng; Li, Shang; Jiao, Ji-Wei; Cao, Hui-Hui; Lai, Raymond; Xu, Li-Yan; Li, En-Min
Our previous studies have shown that loss of miR-200b enhances the invasiveness of esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) cells. However, whether the miR-200-ZEB1/2-E-cadherin regulatory cascade, a master regulator of epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT), is involved in the regulation of ESCC invasion remains elusive. Here, we show that miR-200b represses ESCC cell invasion in vivo without altering the expression of E-cadherin and vimentin, two surrogate markers of EMT. However, an inverse correlation was observed between the expression levels of miR-200b and ZEB1/2 in both ESCC cell lines (n = 7, P < 0.05) and ESCC tumor samples (n = 88, P < 0.05). Methylation of E-cadherin gene was found to block the regulation of E-cadherin by the miR-200b-ZEB1/2 axis, indicating that an E-cadherin-independent mechanism can mediate the biological function of miR-200b in ESCC. We revealed that miR-200b suppresses the integrin β1-AKT pathway via targeting Kindlin-2 to mitigate ESCC cell invasiveness. In two independent cohorts of ESCC samples (n = 20 and n = 53, respectively), Kindlin-2 expression positively correlated with the activation status of both the integrin signaling pathway and the PI3K-AKT signaling pathway (both P < 0.01). These data highlight that suppression of the Kindlin-2-integrin β1-AKT regulatory axis is an alternative mechanism underlying the tumor suppressor function of miR-200b in ESCC. PMID:26334393
Notch1-Snail1-E-cadherin pathway in metastatic hepatocellular carcinoma.
Wang, Xiao Qi; Zhang, Wu; Lui, Eric L H; Zhu, Yongqiang; Lu, Ping; Yu, Xiaoming; Sun, Jisan; Yang, Sitian; Poon, Ronnie T P; Fan, Sheung Tat
Notch signaling, a critical pathway for tissue development, also contributes to tumorigenesis in many cancers, but its pathological function in liver cancer is not well defined. In our study, Notch1 expression and its clinicopathological parameters were evaluated in 82 human hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) patients. Plasmid-based siNotch1 shRNA was transiently or stably transfected into metastatic HCC cells and subsequently evaluated for the effects on orthotopic liver tumor metastasis in a mouse model as well as the effects on downstream pathways. Aberrant high expression of Notch1 was significantly associated with metastatic disease parameters in HCC patients, such as tumor-node-metastasis Stages III-IV and tumor venous invasion. Knocking-down Notch1 reduced cell motility in vitro and orthotopic tumor metastasis from the liver to the lung in vivo in a mouse model. In metastatic HCC cells, abnormal expression of Notch1 was associated with increased expression of Snail1 and repressed expression of E-cadherin; the Notch1-Snail1-E-cadherin association can also be found in HCC patient tumors. Inhibition of Notch1 by shRNA abolished Snail1 expression, which further resulted in the re-establishment of repressed E-cadherin in metastatic HCC cells. Thus, abnormal Notch1 expression was strongly associated with HCC metastatic disease, which might be mediated through the Notch1-Snail1-E-cadherin pathway. Knock-down of Notch1 reversed HCC tumor metastasis in a mouse model. Therefore, these data suggest that effective targeting of Notch signaling might also inhibit tumor metastasis.
Evaluation of myosin VI, E-cadherin and beta-catenin immunostaining in renal cell carcinoma
Background Renal cell carcinoma (RCC) is a cancer of increasing incidence and mortality. Currently, there are no immunohistochemical prognostic markers for RCCs in routine use. The aim of this study was to examine for the first time the immunostaining of myosin VI in RCCs as well as its association with E-cadherin and beta-catenin immunostaining and the prognostic significance of these markers in RCCs. Methods Our study population consisted of 152 patients who underwent surgery for RCCs between 1990 and 1999. The tumours were examined with three immunohistochemical markers: myosin VI, E-cadherin and beta-catenin. Results The immunostaining for cytoplasmic myosin VI was common (72%). One-third of the tumours were immunopositive for nuclear myosin VI. Cytoplasmic myosin VI immunopositivity and nuclear beta-catenin immunostaining were associated with lower Fuhrman grades (p = 0.04 and p = 0.005, respectively), but not stages. There was no significant association between myosin VI immunostaining and the histological subtype of RCC. Nuclear myosin VI was associated with the nuclear expression of beta-catenin. A direct association could also be proven between membranous E-cadherin and cytoplasmic beta-catenin. Cytoplasmic myosin VI immunostaining was a marker of poorer prognosis in multivariate Cox regression model adjusted with stage and Fuhrman grade with hazard ratio 2.4 (95% confidence interval 1.1 to 5.0 with p = 0.024). Conclusions Cytoplasmic myosin VI immunopositivity and nuclear beta-catenin immunostaining were associated with lower Fuhrman grades, and there was a strong positive relationship between E-cadherin immunostaining and beta-catenin immunostaining in RCCs. Cytoplasmic myosin VI immunostaining was associated with poorer prognosis in RCCs. PMID:20074327
The Characteristics and Prognostic Effect of E-Cadherin Expression in Colorectal Signet Ring Cell Carcinoma
Wang, Renjie; Ma, Xiaoji; Li, Yaqi; He, Yiping; Huang, Dan; Cai, Sanjun; Peng, Junjie
Purpose Signet ring cell carcinoma (SRCC) is rare. The aim of this study is to understand the clinicopathological features and identify the possible prognostic factors in colorectal SRCC. Methods Patients with SRCC who underwent primary lesion resection at Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center from September 2008 to July 2014 were retrospectively analyzed. Patient's gender, age, tumor location, depth of invasion, lymph node metastasis, synchronous distant metastasis, perineural invasion, lymphovascular invasion, and E-cadherin expression were studied with prognosis, and the correlation between E-cadherin expression and clinicopathological features were analyzed. All clinicopathological and molecular factors were put into multivariate analysis using Cox proportional hazards model for detecting independent prognostic factors. Results 59 patients accounting for 0.89% of total colorectal cancer patients met the criteria and were enrolled in the study. The median survival time is 28.9 months, and the 3-year survival rate is 62.7%. SRCC were seen more common in young male patients. Advanced stage was more common in SRCC, 58 (98.3%) patients had T3/T4 lesions, 52 (88.1%) patients had lymph node metastasis, and 14 (23.7%) patients had distant metastasis. Distant metastases were seen more common in peritoneal cavity. Distant metastasis (HR = 4.194, 95% CI: 1.297–13.567), lymphovascular invasion (HR = 2.888, 95% CI: 1.115–7.483), and E-cadherin expression (HR = 0.272, 95% CI: 0.096–0.768) were independent predictors for survival. Conclusions SRCC is a rare subtype of colorectal cancer with poor prognosis. Distant metastasis, lymphovascular invasion, and E-cadherin expression can predict prognosis of colorectal SRCCs independently. More precise therapy and more close surveillance are needed for these patients. PMID:27509205
Distinctive localization of N- and E-cadherins in rat anterior pituitary gland.
Kikuchi, Motoshi; Yatabe, Megumi; Fujiwara, Ken; Takigami, Shu; Sakamoto, Atsushi; Soji, Tsuyoshi; Yashiro, Takashi
In the rat anterior pituitary gland, folliculo-stellate cells aggregate preferably to form pseudofollicles, and each type of hormone-producing cell shows adhesive affinity with particular types of heterologous hormone-producing cells. Distribution of cadherin types in the rat anterior pituitary was examined immunohistochemically to clarify the unique cell arrangements caused by homologous and heterologous affinities among cells. N- and E-cadherins were detected continuously along cell membranes, while P-cadherin was not. N- and E-cadherins showed distinct isolation in localization, with N-cadherins localized in hormone-producing cells of distal and intermediate lobes in various amounts, and E-cadherins limited to folliculo-stellate cells and marginal layer cells facing the residual lumen of Rathke's pouch. A similar distribution of cadherins was observed in cell clusters of primary cultured anterior pituitary cells. These findings suggest that differential expression of cell adhesion molecules may be partially responsible for localization of hormone-producing cells and folliculo-stellate cells.
Reggies/flotillins interact with Rab11a and SNX4 at the tubulovesicular recycling compartment and function in transferrin receptor and E-cadherin trafficking.
Solis, Gonzalo P; Hülsbusch, Nikola; Radon, Yvonne; Katanaev, Vladimir L; Plattner, Helmut; Stuermer, Claudia A O
The lipid raft proteins reggie-1 and -2 (flotillins) are implicated in membrane protein trafficking but exactly how has been elusive. We find that reggie-1 and -2 associate with the Rab11a, SNX4, and EHD1-decorated tubulovesicular recycling compartment in HeLa cells and that reggie-1 directly interacts with Rab11a and SNX4. Short hairpin RNA-mediated down-regulation of reggie-1 (and -2) in HeLa cells reduces association of Rab11a with tubular structures and impairs recycling of the transferrin-transferrin receptor (TfR) complex to the plasma membrane. Overexpression of constitutively active Rab11a rescues TfR recycling in reggie-deficient HeLa cells. Similarly, in a Ca(2+) switch assay in reggie-depleted A431 cells, internalized E-cadherin is not efficiently recycled to the plasma membrane upon Ca(2+) repletion. E-cadherin recycling is rescued, however, by overexpression of constitutively active Rab11a or SNX4 in reggie-deficient A431 cells. This suggests that the function of reggie-1 in sorting and recycling occurs in association with Rab11a and SNX4. Of interest, impaired recycling in reggie-deficient cells leads to de novo E-cadherin biosynthesis and cell contact reformation, showing that cells have ways to compensate the loss of reggies. Together our results identify reggie-1 as a regulator of the Rab11a/SNX4-controlled sorting and recycling pathway, which is, like reggies, evolutionarily conserved.
E-cadherin can be expressed by a small population of rat undifferentiated spermatogonia in vivo and in vitro.
Zhang, Yan; Su, Huimin; Luo, Fenhua; Wu, Sachula; Liu, Linhong; Liu, Taodi; Yu, Boyang; Wu, Yingji
Spermatogonial stem cells (SSCs) maintain gamete production in the testes throughout adult life by balancing self-renewal and differentiation. In vitro culture of SSCs is a crucial technique for gene manipulation of SSCs to generate transgenic animals, for transplantation of SSCs to restore male fertility for infertile man, and for generation of pluripotent stem cells from SSCs to differentiate into various cell lineages. Isolation of highly purified SSCs is an all-important component for development of these techniques. However, definitive markers for SSCs, which purify SSCs (100% enrichment), are unknown. SSCs of many species can colonize the mouse testis; thus, we reasoned that same molecules of SSCs are conserved between species. In mouse, undifferentiated spermatogonia express the surface marker E-cadherin. The hypothesis tested in this work was that E-cadherin (also known as CDH1) can be expressed by undifferentiated spermatogonia of rat testes. In this paper, cross-section immunohistochemistry and whole-mount immunohistochemistry of rat seminiferous tubules were conducted to show that E-cadherin-positive cells were small in number and there are single, paired, and aligned spermatogonia attached along the basement membrane. During in vitro culture period, the undifferentiated rat spermatogonial colonies co-expressed E-cadherin and glial-derived neurotrophic factor family receptor alpha-1 or E-cadherin and promyelocytic leukemia zinc finger. Data collected during the study demonstrate that E-cadherin is expressed by a small population of rat undifferentiated spermatogonia both in vivo and during in vitro culture period.
Correlation of E-cadherin and CD44v6 expression with clinical pathology in esophageal carcinoma.
Shen, Wei-Dong; Ji, Yong; Liu, Peng-Fei; Xiang, Bin; Chen, Guo-Qiang; Huang, Bin; Wu, Song
Cell adhesion, important for maintaining tissue architecture, plays a role in numerous cancers and particularly in tumor progression. In the present study, we investigated perturbations in the expression of two important adhesion proteins, epithelial (E)-cadherin and CD44v6, in esophageal carcinoma (EC). EC specimens were obtained from 42 patients undergoing resection of EC; both cancer and adjacent normal tissue were collected. Expression of E-cadherin and CD44v6 was detected by immunohistochemistry and the correlation between the expression of these two proteins and their individual relationships with pathology were determined. E-cadherin expression in EC tissue was significantly less common than in adjacent normal tissue. Furthermore, absence of E-cadherin expression was correlated with infiltration depth, lymph node metastasis, distant metastases and TNM stage (P<0.05), but not with gender, age, differentiation or tumor size. By contrast, CD44v6 expression in EC was significantly higher than that in adjacent normal tissue and was correlated with differentiation, distant metastases and TNM stage (P<0.05), but not with other clinicopathological parameters. Additionally, we observed a negative correlation between E-cadherin and CD44v6 expression in EC (P<0.05). Based on their correlations with pathology, we suggest that the expression of E-cadherin and CD44v6 is important roles in promoting the infiltration and metastasis of EC.
PARP3 controls TGFβ and ROS driven epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition and stemness by stimulating a TG2-Snail-E-cadherin axis
Karicheva, Olga; Rodriguez-Vargas, José Manuel; Wadier, Nadège; Martin-Hernandez, Kathline; Vauchelles, Romain; Magroun, Najat; Tissier, Agnès; Schreiber, Valérie; Dantzer, Françoise
Several members of the Poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP) family are essential regulators of genome integrity, actively prospected as drug targets for cancer therapy. Among them, PARP3 is well characterized for its functions in double-strand break repair and mitotis. Here we report that PARP3 also plays an integral role in TGFβ and reactive oxygen species (ROS) dependent epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) and stem-like cell properties in human mammary epithelial and breast cancer cells. PARP3 expression is higher in breast cancer cells of the mesenchymal phenotype and correlates with the expression of the mesenchymal marker Vimentin while being in inverse correlation with the epithelial marker E-cadherin. Furthermore, PARP3 expression is significantly upregulated during TGFβ-induced EMT in various human epithelial cells. In line with this observation, PARP3 depletion alters TGFβ-dependent EMT of mammary epithelial cells by preventing the induction of the Snail-E-cadherin axis, the dissolution of cell junctions, the acquisition of cell motility and chemoresistance. PARP3 responds to TGFβ-induced ROS to promote a TG2-Snail-E-cadherin axis during EMT. Considering the link between EMT and cancer stem cells, we show that PARP3 promotes stem-like cell properties in mammary epithelial and breast cancer cells by inducing the expression of the stem cell markers SOX2 and OCT4, by increasing the proportion of tumor initiating CD44high/CD24low population and the formation of tumor spheroid bodies, and by promoting stem cell self-renewal. These findings point to a novel role of PARP3 in the control of TGFβ-induced EMT and acquisition of stem-like cell features and further motivate efforts to identify PARP3 specific inhibitors. PMID:27579892
Clinicopathological significance of ZEB-1 and E-cadherin proteins in patients with oral cavity squamous cell carcinoma
Yao, Xiaofeng; Sun, Shanshan; Zhou, Xuan; Zhang, Qiang; Guo, Wenyu; Zhang, Lun
Background Zinc-finger E-box binding homeobox 1 (ZEB-1), a member of the ZFH family, plays a key role in epithelial–mesenchymal transition during tumor progression in various cancers. However, little information is available on ZEB-1 expression in oral cavity squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC). Methods The expression levels of ZEB-1 and E-cadherin were assessed by immunohistochemistry in a cohort of 120 patients with OSCC treated by curative operation, and then the correlations between ZEB-1 and E-cadherin expression and clinical factors were evaluated, including patient prognosis. Quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) assays were performed to assess mRNA levels of ZEB-1 and E-cadherin in 20 matched OSCC specimens. Results Patients were followed up for a median period of 66 months (range 8−116 months), and 5-year overall survival was 68.3%. Positive ZEB-1 and E-cadherin immunostaining reactivity was detected in 64 (53.3%) and 53 (44.2%) patients, respectively. There was a negative correlation between ZEB-1 expression and E-cadherin expression. In addition, overexpression of ZEB-1 was significantly associated with recurrence, lymph node metastasis, and pathologic grading of patients, loss of E-cadherin was significantly associated with lymph node metastasis and pathologic grading of patients. Univariate analysis showed that increased ZEB-1 expression, loss of E-cadherin expression, lymph node metastasis, recurrence, and pathology grade were prognostic factors. In multivariate analysis, increased ZEB-1 expression and recurrence remained independent prognostic factors. In particular, patients with both ZEB-1 positivity and loss of E-cadherin expression had a poorer prognosis. qRT-PCR showed that ZEB-1 mRNA expression was higher in OSCC compared to the adjacent nontumorous tissues, while E-cadherin mRNA expression was lower in tumor tissues. Conclusion This study shows that overexpression of ZEB-1 and loss of E-cadherin expression are significantly
α-Catulin downregulates E-cadherin and promotes melanoma progression and invasion.
Kreiseder, Birgit; Orel, Lukas; Bujnow, Constantin; Buschek, Stefan; Pflueger, Maren; Schuett, Wolfgang; Hundsberger, Harald; de Martin, Rainer; Wiesner, Christoph
Metastasis is associated with poor prognosis for melanoma responsible for about 90% of skin cancer-related mortality. To metastasize, melanoma cells must escape keratinocyte control, invade across the basement membrane and survive in the dermis by resisting apoptosis before they can intravasate into the circulation. α-Catulin (CTNNAL1) is a cytoplasmic molecule that integrates the crosstalk between nuclear factor-kappa B and Rho signaling pathways, binds to β-catenin and increases the level of both α-catenin and β-catenin and therefore has potential effects on inflammation, apoptosis and cytoskeletal reorganization. Here, we show that α-catulin is highly expressed in melanoma cells. Expression of α-catulin promoted melanoma progression and occurred concomitantly with the downregulation of E-cadherin and the upregulation of expression of mesenchymal genes such as N-cadherin, Snail/Slug and the matrix metalloproteinases 2 and 9. Knockdown of α-catulin promoted adhesion to and inhibited migration away from keratinocytes in an E-cadherin-dependent manner and decreased the transmigration through a keratinocyte monolayer, as well as in Transwell assays using collagens, laminin and fibronectin coating. Moreover, knockdown promoted homotypic spheroid formation and concomitantly increased E-cadherin expression along with downregulation of transcription factors implicated in its repression (Snail/Slug, Twist and ZEB). Consistent with the molecular changes, α-catulin provoked invasion of melanoma cells in a three-dimensional culture assay by the upregulation of matrix metalloproteinases 2 and 9 and the activation of ROCK/Rho. As such, α-catulin may represent a key driver of the metastatic process, implicating potential for therapeutic interference.
Epithelial self-healing is recapitulated by a 3D biomimetic E-cadherin junction
Cohen, Daniel J.; Gloerich, Martijn; Nelson, W. James
Epithelial monolayers undergo self-healing when wounded. During healing, cells collectively migrate into the wound site, and the converging tissue fronts collide and form a stable interface. To heal, migrating tissues must form cell–cell adhesions and reorganize from the front-rear polarity characteristic of cell migration to the apical-basal polarity of an epithelium. However, identifying the "stop signal" that induces colliding tissues to cease migrating and heal remains an open question. Epithelial cells form integrin-based adhesions to the basal extracellular matrix (ECM) and E-cadherin–mediated cell–cell adhesions on the orthogonal, lateral surfaces between cells. Current biological tools have been unable to probe this multicellular 3D interface to determine the stop signal. We addressed this problem by developing a unique biointerface that mimicked the 3D organization of epithelial cell adhesions. This "minimal tissue mimic" (MTM) comprised a basal ECM substrate and a vertical surface coated with purified extracellular domain of E-cadherin, and was designed for collision with the healing edge of an epithelial monolayer. Three-dimensional imaging showed that adhesions formed between cells, and the E-cadherin-coated MTM resembled the morphology and dynamics of native epithelial cell–cell junctions and induced the same polarity transition that occurs during epithelial self-healing. These results indicate that E-cadherin presented in the proper 3D context constitutes a minimum essential stop signal to induce self-healing. That the Ecad:Fc MTM stably integrated into an epithelial tissue and reduced migration at the interface suggests that this biointerface is a complimentary approach to existing tissue–material interfaces. PMID:27930308
Gene expression of WNTs, β-catenin and E-cadherin during the periimplantation period of pregnancy in pigs--involvement of steroid hormones.
Kiewisz, Jolanta; Kaczmarek, Monika M; Andronowska, Aneta; Blitek, Agnieszka; Ziecik, Adam J
WNTs (wingless-type MMTV integration site family, member) are morphogenes considered as important factors taking part in uterus developmental processes and implantation. β-catenin is a downstream effector of WNTs action within the cell as well as, through E-cadherin, affecting epithelial organization and function. This study was conducted to investigate WNT4, WNT5A, WNT7A, β-catenin (CTNNB1) and E-cadherin (CDH1) gene expression and protein localization in the endometrium during the periimplantation period. Furthermore, the effect of 17β-estradiol (E(2)) and progesterone (P(4)) on WNTs, CTNNB1 and CDH1 gene expression in the porcine endometrium in vitro was examined. WNT4 protein was localized in the luminal and glandular epithelium as well as in the basal lamina of the uterine mucosa. WNT5A protein was detected only in the luminal epithelium. WNT7A, β-catenin and E-cadherin protein were identified both in the luminal and glandular epithelial cells, however, WNT7A protein immunoreactivity varied during respective days of estrous cycle and/or pregnancy. Despite unchanged expression of WNT4 mRNA in the endometrium of cyclic and early pregnant pigs, the negative influence of E(2) on WNT4 gene during in vitro experiment was observed. WNT4 and CDH1 gene expression was negatively correlated with blood plasma E(2) and P(4) level in uterine luminal flushings (ULFs) on Day 12 of pregnancy. Expression of WNT5A gene was up-regulated in the endometrium on Day 9 of pregnancy when compared to the respective day of the estrous cycle. A significant decrease of WNT7A gene expression and increase of CDH1 mRNA amount was detected on Day 12 of pregnancy. Overall, the results show the spatial localization of WNT4, WNT5A, WNT7A, β-catenin and E-cadherin proteins in porcine endometrium during periimplantation period of pregnancy and indicate significant changes of WNT5A, WNT7A and CDH1 gene expression before implantation in the pig.
miR-199a-5p induces cell invasion by suppressing E-cadherin expression in cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma
A growing quantity of evidence exists to suggest that microRNAs are significant regulators of multiple cellular processes. When expressed aberrantly in different types of cancer, including cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma (cSCC), they play key roles in tumorigenesis and progression. The aberrant expression of miR-199a-5p has been observed to contribute to carcinogenesis in various types of cancer. However, the role of miR-199a-5p in the progression of cSCC metastasis remains largely unknown. In this study, we determined that miR-199a-5p was the upstream regulator of CDH1 (E-cadherin) and that it could suppress the expression of E-cadherin in cSCC cells. In addition, miR-199a-5p mimics significantly induced cell invasion and the activity of matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)2 and MMP9 in cSCC cells. In conclusion, these results are likely to aid in elucidating the molecular mechanisms of cSCC progression. In addition, the findings provide a new theoretical basis to further investigate miR-199a-5p as a potential biomarker and a promising approach in cSCC treatment. PMID:27347107
E-cadherin germline mutation carriers: clinical management and genetic implications.
Corso, Giovanni; Figueiredo, Joana; Biffi, Roberto; Trentin, Chiara; Bonanni, Bernardo; Feroce, Irene; Serrano, Davide; Cassano, Enrico; Annibale, Bruno; Melo, Soraia; Seruca, Raquel; De Lorenzi, Francesca; Ferrara, Francesco; Piagnerelli, Riccardo; Roviello, Franco; Galimberti, Viviana
Hereditary diffuse gastric cancer is an autosomic dominant syndrome associated with E-cadherin protein (CDH1) gene germline mutations. Clinical criteria for genetic screening were revised in 2010 by the International Gastric Cancer Linkage Consortium at the Cambridge meeting. About 40 % of families fulfilling clinical criteria for this inherited disease present deleterious CDH1 germline mutations. Lobular breast cancer is a neoplastic condition associated with hereditary diffuse gastric cancer syndrome. E-cadherin constitutional mutations have been described in both settings, in gastric and breast cancers. The management of CDH1 asymptomatic mutation carriers requires a multidisciplinary approach; the only life-saving procedure is the prophylactic total gastrectomy after thorough genetic counselling. Several prophylactic gastrectomies have been performed to date; conversely, no prophylactic mastectomies have been described in CDH1 mutant carriers. However, the recent discovery of novel germline alterations in pedigree clustering only for lobular breast cancer opens up a new debate in the management of these individuals. In this critical review, we describe the clinical management of CDH1 germline mutant carriers providing specific recommendations for genetic counselling, clinical criteria, surveillance and/ or prophylactic surgery.
Loss of functional E-cadherin renders cells more resistant to the apoptotic agent taxol in vitro
Ferreira, Paulo; Oliveira, Maria Jose; Beraldi, Eliana; Mateus, Ana Rita; Nakajima, Takashi; Gleave, Martin; Yokota, Jun; Carneiro, Fatima; Huntsman, David; Seruca, Raquel; Suriano, Gianpaolo . E-mail: email@example.com
Experimental evidence supports a role for E-cadherin in suppressing invasion, metastasis, and proliferation. Germline mutations of the E-cadherin represent the genetic cause of hereditary diffuse gastric cancer (HDGC). In this type of tumor, isolated cancer cells permeate the basal membrane and paradoxically survive in the gastric wall in the absence of contact with neighbor epithelial cells or with the extracellular matrix. This suggests that upon E-cadherin deregulation, cells acquired resistance to apoptosis. To test this hypothesis, CHO cells stably expressing either wild-type E-cadherin or the HDGC-related germline mutations T340A and V832M were seeded either on a thin layer of collagen type I or on plastic and then subjected to the apoptotic agent taxol. We found that in vitro functional E-cadherin renders cells more sensitive to the effect of taxol. Our results also indicate that this effect is associated to decreased level of the anti-apoptotic bcl-2 protein.
E-cadherin-negative acinar cell carcinoma of the pancreas: report of a case showing a solid pseudopapillary growth pattern.
Tajima, Shogo; Waki, Michihiko; Azuma, Masaki; Koda, Kenji; Ohata, Akihiko
E-cadherin expression patterns in acinar cell carcinomas (ACCs) of the pancreas have not been well documented. Herein, we present a hitherto undescribed case of E-cadherin-negative ACC with a solid pseudopapillary growth pattern in a 65-year-old man. We used an antibody against the extracellular domain of E-cadherin. As a further unusual status in ACC, faint β-catenin expression was observed in the cytoplasm of carcinoma cells. Morphological distinction from a solid pseudopapillary neoplasm (SPN) of the pancreas might be problematic in such a case, because of their similarities concerned with the growth pattern and E-cadherin negativity. Without nuclear accumulation of β-catenin, a diagnosis of SPN was almost excluded. Immunoreactivity for trypsin and BCL10 made an accurate diagnosis of ACC to this case. The tumor recurred 10 months post-surgery as rapidly enlarging masses in the liver, presumably indicating the aggressiveness of the E-cadherin-negative phenotype among ACCs.
Colorectal adenocarcinoma with mucinous component: relation of MMP-13, EGFR, and E-cadherin expressions to clinicopathological features and prognosis.
Foda, Abd Al-Rahman Mohammad; El-Hawary, Amira Kamal; Aziz, Azza Abdel
The aim of this study was to compare colorectal adenocarcinoma with mucinous component, ordinary adenocarcinoma (OA) and mucinous adenocarcinoma (MA) regarding clinicopathological parameters, survival, EGFR, MMP-13, and E-cadherin. We studied tumor tissue specimens from 28 patients with adenocarcinoma with mucinous component, 47 with OA, and 56 with MA, who underwent radical surgery from January 2007 to January 2012 at the Gastroenterology Centre, Mansoura University, Egypt. High density manual tissue microarrays were constructed and immunohistochemistry for EGFR, MMP-13, and E-cadherin was done. Colorectal adenocarcinoma with mucinous component (AWMC) was significantly associated with more perineural invasion, lower EGFR, and MMP-13 expressions than OA, with no difference in E-cadherin expression. Conversely, only microscopic abscess formation was significantly more with colorectal AWMC than MC with no difference in EGFR, MMP-13 and E-cadherin expression between both groups. Colorectal AWMC showed a better survival than MA with no difference with OA. In a univariate analysis, EGFR, MMP-13, and E-cadherin expressions did not show a significant impact on disease-free or overall survival in patients with colorectal AWMC. Colorectal AWMC remains a vague entity that resembles OA in some clinicopathological and molecular respects as well as MA.
Differential targeting of the E-Cadherin/β-Catenin complex by gram-positive probiotic lactobacilli improves epithelial barrier function.
Hummel, Stephanie; Veltman, Katharina; Cichon, Christoph; Sonnenborn, Ulrich; Schmidt, M Alexander
The intestinal ecosystem is balanced by dynamic interactions between resident and incoming microbes, the gastrointestinal barrier, and the mucosal immune system. However, in the context of inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD), where the integrity of the gastrointestinal barrier is compromised, resident microbes contribute to the development and perpetuation of inflammation and disease. Probiotic bacteria have been shown to exert beneficial effects, e.g., enhancing epithelial barrier integrity. However, the mechanisms underlying these beneficial effects are only poorly understood. Here, we comparatively investigated the effects of four probiotic lactobacilli, namely, Lactobacillus acidophilus, L. fermentum, L. gasseri, and L. rhamnosus, in a T84 cell epithelial barrier model. Results of DNA microarray experiments indicating that lactobacilli modulate the regulation of genes encoding in particular adherence junction proteins such as E-cadherin and β-catenin were confirmed by quantitative reverse transcription-PCR (qRT-PCR). Furthermore, we show that epithelial barrier function is modulated by Gram-positive probiotic lactobacilli via their effect on adherence junction protein expression and complex formation. In addition, incubation with lactobacilli differentially influences the phosphorylation of adherence junction proteins and the abundance of protein kinase C (PKC) isoforms such as PKCδ that thereby positively modulates epithelial barrier function. Further insight into the underlying molecular mechanisms triggered by these probiotics might also foster the development of novel strategies for the treatment of gastrointestinal diseases (e.g., IBD).
Thermo-chemotherapy Induced miR-218 upregulation inhibits the invasion of gastric cancer via targeting Gli2 and E-cadherin.
Ruan, Qiang; Fang, Zhi-Yuan; Cui, Shu-Zhong; Zhang, Xiang-Liang; Wu, Yin-Bing; Tang, Hong-Sheng; Tu, Yi-Nuo; Ding, Yan
Thermo-chemotherapy has been proven to reduce the invasion capability of cancer cells. However, the molecular mechanism underlying this anti-invasion effect is still unclear. In this study, the role of thermo-chemotherapy in the inhibition of tumor invasion was studied. The results demonstrated that expression of miR-218 was downregulated in gastric cancer tissues, which had a positive correlation with tumor invasion and metastasis. In vitro thermo-chemotherapy increased miR-218 expression in SGC7901 cells and inhibited both proliferation and invasion of cancer cells. Gli2 was identified as a downstream target of miR-218, and its expression was negatively regulated by miR-218. The thermo-chemotherapy induced miR-218 upregulation was also accompanied by increasing of E-cadherin expression. In conclusion, the present study indicates that thermo-chemotherapy can effectively decrease the invasion capability of cancer cells and increase cell-cell adhesion. miR-218 and its downstream target Gli2, as well as E-cadherin, participate in the anti-invasion process.
Isasa, Marta; Katz, Elijah J.; Kim, Woong; Yugo, Verónica; González, Sheyla; Kirkpatrick, Donald S.; Thomson, Timothy M.; Finley, Daniel; Gygi, Steven P.; Crosas, Bernat
The proteasome recognizes its substrates via a diverse set of ubiquitin receptors, including subunits Rpn10/S5a and Rpn13. In addition, shuttling factors, such as Rad23, recruit substrates to the proteasome by delivering ubiquitinated proteins. Despite the increasing understanding of the factors involved in this process, the regulation of substrate delivery remains largely unexplored. Here we report that Rpn10 is monoubiquitinated in vivo and that this modification has profound effects on proteasome function. Monoubiquitination regulates the capacity of Rpn10 to interact with substrates by inhibiting Rpn10's ubiquitin interacting motif (UIM). We show that Rsp5, a member of NEDD4 ubiquitin-protein ligase family, and Ubp2, a deubiquitinating enzyme, control the levels of Rpn10 monoubiquitination in vivo. Notably, monoubiquitination of Rpn10 is decreased under stress conditions, suggesting a mechanism of control of receptor availability mediated by the Rsp5-Ubp2 system. Our results reveal an unanticipated link between monoubiquitination signal and regulation of proteasome function. PMID:20542005
The Prognostic Impact of Protein Expression of E-Cadherin-Catenin Complexes Differs between Rectal and Colon Carcinoma.
Aamodt, Rolf; Bondi, Johan; Andersen, Solveig Norheim; Bakka, Arne; Bukholm, Geir; Bukholm, Ida R K
The E-cadherin-catenin complex provides cell-cell adhesion. In order for a carcinoma to metastasize, cancer cells must let go of their hold of neighboring cells in the primary tumor. The presence of components of the E-cadherin-catenin complex in 246 rectal adenocarcinomas was examined by immunohistochemistry and compared to their presence in 219 colon carcinomas. The expression data were correlated to clinical information from the patients' records. There were statistically significant differences in protein expression between the rectal and the colon carcinomas regarding membranous beta-catenin, gamma-catenin, p120-catenin, and E-cadherin, as well as nuclear beta-catenin. In the rectal carcinomas, there was a significant inverse association between the expression of p120-catenin in cell membranes of the primary tumors and the occurrence of local recurrence, while membranous protein expression of beta-catenin was inversely related to distant metastases.
Expression of E-cadherin and involucrin in leukoplakia and oral cancer: an immunocytochemical and immunohistochemical study.
Silva, Alessandra Dutra da; Maraschin, Bruna Jalfim; Laureano, Natalia Koerich; Daroit, Natália; Brochier, Fernanda; Bündrich, Leonardo; Visioli, Fernanda; Rados, Pantelis Varvaki
To assess the immunocytochemical and immunohistochemical correlation of adhesion (E-cadherin) and cell differentiation (involucrin) molecules in oral leukoplakia and oral squamous cell carcinoma. Cytological samples and biopsies were obtained from male and female patients aged over 30 years with oral leukoplakia (n = 30) and oral squamous cell carcinoma (n = 22). Cell scrapings and the biopsy were performed at the site of the lesion and histological slides were prepared for the immunocytochemical analysis of exfoliated oral mucosal cells and for the immunohistochemical analysis of biopsy tissues using E-cadherin and involucrin. Spearman's correlation and kappa coefficients were used to assess the correlation and level of agreement between the techniques. Immunostaining for E-cadherin and involucrin by both techniques was similar in the superficial layers of the histological sections compared with cell scrapings. However, there was no statistical correlation and agreement regarding the immunocytochemical and immunohistochemical expression of E-cadherin and involucrin in oral leukoplakia (R = 0.01, p = 0.958) (Kappa = 0.017, p = 0.92) or in oral squamous cell carcinoma (R = 0.26, p = 0.206) (Kappa = 0.36, p = 0.07). The immunoexpression of E-cadherin and involucrin in tissues is consistent with the expression patterns observed in exfoliated oral mucosal cells, despite the lack of a statistically significant correlation. There is an association of the histopathological characteristics of leukoplakia with the expression E-cadherin and of the microscopic aspects of oral squamous cell carcinoma with immunohistochemical expression of involucrin.
Critical interactions between TGF-beta signaling/ELF, and E-cadherin/beta-catenin mediated tumor suppression.
Katuri, V; Tang, Y; Li, C; Jogunoori, W; Deng, C-X; Rashid, A; Sidawy, A N; Evans, S; Reddy, E P; Mishra, B; Mishra, L
Inactivation of the transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-beta) pathway occurs often in malignancies of the gastrointestinal (GI) system. However, only a fraction of sporadic GI tumors exhibit inactivating mutations in early stages of cancer formation, suggesting that other mechanisms play a critical role in the inactivation of this pathway. Here, we show a wide range of GI tumors, including those of the stomach, liver and colon in elf+/- and elf+/- / Smad4+/- mutant mice. We found that embryonic liver fodrin (ELF), a beta-Spectrin originally identified in endodermal stem/progenitor cells committed to foregut lineage, possesses potent antioncogenic activity and is frequently inactivated in GI cancers. Specifically, E-cadherin accumulation at cell-cell contacts and E-cadherin-beta-catenin-dependent epithelial cell-cell adhesion is disrupted in elf+/- / Smad4+/- mutant gastric epithelial cells, and could be rescued by ectopic expression of full-length elf, but not Smad3 or Smad4. Subcellular fractionation revealed that E-cadherin is expressed mainly at the cell membrane after TGF-beta stimulation. In contrast, elf+/- / Smad4+/- mutant tissues showed abnormal distribution of E-cadherin that could be rescued by overexpression of ELF but not Smad3 or Smad4. Our results identify a group of common lethal malignancies in which inactivation of TGF-beta signaling, which is essential for tumor suppression, is disrupted by inactivation of the ELF adaptor protein.
Cell fusion mediates dramatic alterations in the actin cytoskeleton, focal adhesions, and E-cadherin in trophoblastic cells.
Ishikawa, Atsuko; Omata, Waka; Ackerman, William E; Takeshita, Toshiyuki; Vandré, Dale D; Robinson, John M
The syncytiotrophoblast of the human placenta is a unique epithelia structure with millions of nuclei sharing a common cytoplasm. The syncytiotrophoblast forms by cell-cell fusion of cytotrophoblasts (CTB), the mononuclear precursor cells. The trophoblastic BeWo cell line has been used as a surrogate for CTB since they can be induced to fuse, and subsequently display numerous syncytiotrophoblast differentiation markers following syncytial formation. In this study, we have focused on alterations in the cell-adhesion molecule E-cadherin, actin cytoskeleton, and focal adhesions following BeWo cell fusion, since these entities may be interrelated. There was a dramatic reorganization of the distribution of E-cadherin as well as a reduction in the amount of E-cadherin following cell fusion. Reorganization of the actin cytoskeleton was also observed, which was associated with a change in the globular actin (G-actin)/filamentous actin (F-actin) ratio. Concomitantly, the morphology of focal adhesions was altered, but this occurred without a corresponding change in the levels of focal adhesion marker proteins. Thus, extensive remodeling of the actin cytoskeleton and focal adhesions accompanies cell fusion and differentiation and appears related to alterations in E-cadherin in trophoblastic cells.
PRKAR1A is a functional tumor suppressor inhibiting ERK/Snail/E-cadherin pathway in lung adenocarcinoma
Wang, Shaoqiang; Cheng, Yuanda; Zheng, Yingying; He, Zhiwei; Chen, Wei; Zhou, Wolong; Duan, Chaojun; Zhang, Chunfang
Protein Kinase cAMP-Dependent Regulatory Type I Alpha (PRKAR1A) is a tissue-specific extinguisher that transduces a signal through phosphorylation of different target proteins. Loss of PRKAR1A was frequently observed in endocrine neoplasia and stromal cell tumors. However, a few cases were seen in epithelial tumors. Previously, we first found that PRKAR1A was downregulated in lung adenocarcinoma patients. Thus, the present study aimed to clarify its clinical implication and biological function as a tumor suppressor in lung adenocarcinoma. The low levels of PRKAR1A transcript were correlated with tumor progression and poor overall survival. The re-expression of PRKAR1A in H1299 cells suppressed the tumor cell proliferation and migration; stable knockdown (KD) of PRKAR1A in A549 cells enhanced this function both in vitro and in vivo. Moreover, KD of PRKAR1A in A549 cells promoted the statistical colonization of circulating tumor cells to the lungs in nude mice. These effects by PRKAR1A were attributed to inhibiting E-cadherin expression. Elevated E-cadherin significantly suppressed the PRKAR1A-KD induced cell proliferation and migration. Most notably, deletion of PRKAR1A inhibited E-cadherin by activating ERK/Snail signaling. In conclusion, PRKAR1A was a potent suppressor, and through the inhibition of PRKAR1A-ERK-Snail-E-cadherin axis could serve as a potential therapeutic target. PMID:27995993
Transcription factor Snai1-1 induces osteosarcoma invasion and metastasis by inhibiting E-cadherin expression
Osteosarcoma (OS) is a type of primary malignant bone tumor with a high propensity for local recurrence and distant metastasis. A previous study showed Snail-1 is highly expressed in OS cells. The present study aimed to investigate the association between the transcription factor Snai1 and E-cadherin in OS. SaOS2 OS cells were transfected either with a plasmid expressing short hairpin RNA (shRNA) specific for the Snai1-1 gene (SaOS2-shRNA) or a negative control plasmid (SaOS2-Mock). The expression levels of E-cadherin and Snai1-1 in the transfected and control cells were determined by quantitative polymerase chain reaction and western blot analysis. In addition, the study was extended to evaluate the migratory and invasive properties of the cells through a Transwell experiment. The results show that E-cadherin was expressed at a high level in the SaOS2-shRNA cells, which were much less migratory and invasive than the control cells. Overexpression of Snai1-1 in OS is associated with tumor progression, possibly through the suppression of E-cadherin expression and induction of the process of epithelial-mesenchymal transition, which contributes to the proceeding invasion and metastasis of OS cells. PMID:24959244
Inverse correlation between CD8+ inflammatory cells and E-cadherin expression in gallbladder cancer: Tissue microarray and imaging analysis
Kai, Keita; Masuda, Masanori; Aishima, Shinichi
AIM To investigated the association between the tumor cells' expression of E-cadherin and the numbers of several types of inflammatory cells infiltrating into the invasive portion of gallbladder cancer (GBC). METHODS We analyzed 50 GBC cases for which a sufficient amount of tumor tissues for tissue microarray (TMA) had been saved. Three tissue cores (3.0 mm) of invasive lesion from each case were used for the TMA. The 4-μm cut sections on slides were immunostained using primary antibodies including E-cadherin for cancer cells, leukocyte common antigen for leukocyte, myeloperoxidase for neutrophils, CD3 for T cells, CD4 for helper T cells, CD8 for killer T cells, CD20 for B cells and CD68 for macrophages. The immunostained slides were digitally analyzed by imaging analysis software. RESULTS A significant inverse correlation between the number of infiltrating CD8+ cells at invasive areas and the expression of E-cadherin by cancer cells was observed (P = 0.0001), although the degree of this correlation was relatively weak (R = 0.32). The number of CD8+ cells and the cancer cells' E-cadherin expression were also significantly correlated with tumor differentiation (well-differentiated vs poorly differentiated) (P = 0.0467 and P = 0.0294, respectively). Inverse correlation of T-stage and the number of CD8+ cell infiltration was observed with statistical significance in comparison of T2 and T3 cases (P = 0.0324). CONCLUSION Our findings indicate an inverse correlation of CD8+ T cell infiltration and cancer cells' E-cadherin expression at invasive areas of GBC. Further analyses are essential to test these findings. PMID:28138440
Expression of E-cadherin and α-catenin in a varicocele-induced infertility rat model
Ha, Hong Koo; Park, Hyun Jun; Park, Nam Cheol
The roles of E-cadherin and α-catenin were evaluated in the development of varicocele-induced infertility. Analysis of the association between the expression of E-cadherin/α-catenin and clinical/pathological parameters was performed. Thirty 10-week-old male rats (experimental group) were used for the experiments; the left renal vein was ligated to form a varicocele. The abdomen was incised in 30 rats (control group) and no procedure was performed on 10 rats (baseline group). The weights of the left testis, serum reactive oxygen species (ROS), testosterone, luteinizing hormone (LH), follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) and degenerative changes in the seminiferous tubules after 4 and 8 weeks were recorded. The expression of E-cadherin and α-catenin was evaluated by immunohistochemical (IHC) staining and Western blot analysis. The ROS increased in the 8-week experimental group, compared with the baseline and control groups (P<0.001 for both). Additionally, FSH significantly increased in the 4- and 8-week experimental group compared with the control groups (P=0.013 and P=0.032, respectively). The ratio of degenerative changes in the seminiferous tubules of the experimental groups increased. The IHC staining showed that the expression of E-cadherin and α-catenin decreased in the 4- and 8-week experimental groups. Similar to the IHC staining, the experimental group had decreased reactivity on Western blot analysis. The expression of E-cadherin and α-catenin was significantly associated with the ROS and degenerative changes in the seminiferous tubules. The results of this study suggest that damage to the blood–testis barrier (BTB) is associated with varicocele-induced male infertility, and that ROS may cause damage to the BTB. PMID:21399649
In vivo sodium tungstate treatment prevents E-cadherin loss induced by diabetic serum in HK-2 cell line.
Bertinat, Romina; Silva, Pamela; Mann, Elizabeth; Li, Xuhang; Nualart, Francisco; Yáñez, Alejandro J
Diabetic nephropathy (DN) is characterized by interstitial inflammation and fibrosis, which is the result of chronic accumulation of extracellular matrix produced by activated fibroblasts in the renal tubulointerstitium. Renal proximal tubular epithelial cells (PTECs), through the process of epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT), are the source of fibroblasts within the interstitial space, and loss of E-cadherin has shown to be one of the earliest steps in this event. Here, we studied the effect of the anti-diabetic agent sodium tungstate (NaW) in the loss of E-cadherin induced by transforming growth factor (TGF) β-1, the best-characterized in vitro EMT promoter, and serum from untreated or NaW-treated diabetic rats in HK-2 cell line, a model of human kidney PTEC. Our results showed that both TGFβ-1 and serum from diabetic rat induced a similar reduction in E-cadherin expression. However, E-cadherin loss induced by TGFβ-1 was not reversed by NaW, whereas sera from NaW-treated rats were able to protect HK-2 cells. Searching for soluble mediators of NaW effect, we compared secretion of TGFβ isoforms and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF)-A, which have opposite actions on EMT. One millimolar NaW alone reduced secretion of both TGFβ-1 and -2, and stimulated secretion of VEGF-A after 48 h. However, these patterns of secretion were not observed after diabetic rat serum treatment, suggesting that protection from E-cadherin loss by serum from NaW-treated diabetic rats originates from an indirect rather than a direct effect of this salt on HK-2 cells, via a mechanism independent of TGFβ and VEGF-A functions.
Correlation Between E-cadherin Immunoexpression and Efficacy of First Line Platinum-Based Chemotherapy in Advanced High Grade Serous Ovarian Cancer.
Miše, Branka Petrić; Telesmanić, Vesna Dobrić; Tomić, Snježana; Šundov, Dinka; Čapkun, Vesna; Vrdoljak, Eduard
To analyze correlation between immunoexpression of E-cadherin and efficacy of first line platinum-based chemotherapy in patients with advanced-stage high-grade serous ovarian carcinoma. The expression of E-cadherin was analyzed immunohistochemically in formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded samples from 98 patients with advanced-stage high-grade serous ovarian cancer and related to clinical features (stage according to the International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics (FIGO) and residual tumors after initial cytoreductive surgery), response to platinum-based chemotherapy (according to Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid tumors (RECIST 1.1 criteria)), platinum sensitivity (according to platinum free interval (PFI) as platinum-refractory, platinum-resistant and platinum-sensitive) and patients progression free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS). E-cadherin immunostaining was positive in 74 and negative in 24 serous ovarian carcinomas. E-cadherin immunoreactivity was not associated with FIGO stage, residual tumor after initial cytoreductive surgery and number of chemotherapy cycles. Positive E-cadherin expression predict significantly better response to first line platinum-based chemotherapy (p < 0.001) and platinum sensitivity (p < 0.001). Moreover, positive E-cadherin expression predict significantly longer PFS (p < 0.001) and OS (p < 0.001). The multivariate analysis for OS showed that positive E-cadherin expression is predictor to platinum sensitivity (p < 0.001) and longer OS (p = 0.01). Positive E-cadherin expression seems to be a predictor of better response to first line platinum-based chemotherapy, platinum sensitivity and favorable clinical outcome in patients with advanced-stage serous ovarian cancer. Negative E-cadherin expression was shown to be significant, independent predictor of poorer PFS and OS. E-cadherin as a marker has predictive and prognostic value.
Relation of glypican-3 and E-cadherin expressions to clinicopathological features and prognosis of mucinous and non-mucinous colorectal adenocarcinoma.
Foda, Abd Al-Rahman Mohammad; Mohammad, Mie Ali; Abdel-Aziz, Azza; El-Hawary, Amira Kamal
Glypican-3 (GPC3) is a member of the membrane-bound heparin sulfate proteoglycans. E-cadherin is an adhesive receptor that is believed to act as a tumor suppressor gene. Many studies had investigated E-cadherin expressions in colorectal carcinoma (CRC) while only one study had investigated GPC3 expression in CRC. This study aims to investigate expression of GCP3 and E-cadherin in colorectal mucinous carcinoma (MA) and non-mucinous adenocarcinoma (NMA) using manual tissue microarray technique. Tumor tissue specimens are collected from 75 cases of MC and 75 cases of NMA who underwent radical surgery from Jan 2007 to Jan 2012 at the Gastroenterology Centre, Mansoura University, Egypt. Their clinicopathological parameters and survival data were revised and analyzed using established statistical methodologies. High-density manual tissue microarrays were constructed using modified mechanical pencil tip technique and immunohistochemistry for GPC3 and E-cadherin was done. NMA showed higher expression of GPC3 than MA with no statistically significant relation. NMA showed a significantly higher E-cadherin expression than MA. GPC3 and E-cadherin positivity rates were significantly interrelated in NMA, but not in MA, group. In NMA group, there was no significant relation between either GPC3 or E-cadherin expression and the clinicopathological features. In a univariate analysis, neither GPC3 nor E-cadherin expression showed a significant impact on disease-free survival (DFS) or overall survival (OS). GPC3 and E-cadherin expressions are not independent prognostic factors in CRC. However, expressions of both are significantly interrelated in NMA patients, suggesting an excellent interplay between both, in contrast to MA. Further molecular studies are needed to further explore the relationship between GCP3 and E-cadherin in colorectal carcinogenesis.
Expression of FoxM1 and the EMT-associated protein E-cadherin in gastric cancer and its clinical significance
Zhang, Jing; Chen, Xiao-Yu; Huang, Ke-Jian; Wu, Wei-Dong; Jiang, Tao; Cao, Jun; Zhou, Li-Sheng; Qiu, Zheng-Jun; Huang, Chen
The aim of the present study was to investigate the expression of forkhead box M1 (FoxM1) and E-cadherin in tissues of gastric cancer in order to reveal any correlation between FoxM1, E-cadherin and clinicopathological parameters. The association between FoxM1 and E-cadherin in the development and progression of gastric cancer was also investigated. The expression of FoxM1 and E-cadherin in gastric cancer and adjacent normal tissue on tissue microarray was detected using immunohistochemistry. The clinicopathological significance of FoxM1 and E-cadherin in gastric cancer was explored, and the association between FoxM1 and E-cadherin was further examined using statistical techniques. In gastric cancer tissues, the expression of FoxM1 and E-cadherin was strongly positive, but it was weak in normal gastric mucosa. Overexpression of FoxM1 was evident in gastric cancer, and was associated with poor tumor differentiation (P<0.05), advanced tumor state (P<0.05) and lymph node (or distant) metastasis (P<0.05), whereas E-cadherin had the opposite effects. Furthermore, the correlation between FoxM1 and E-cadherin expression in gastric cancer tissue was negative. In conclusion, the high FoxM1 expression and low E-cadherin expression in gastric cancer tissue suggests that these proteins play a critical role in the development and progression of gastric cancer. PMID:27698811
The Epstein-Barr Virus-Encoded MicroRNA MiR-BART9 Promotes Tumor Metastasis by Targeting E-Cadherin in Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma
Hsu, Chung-Yuan; Yi, Yung-Hsiang; Chang, Kai-Ping; Chang, Yu-Sun; Chen, Shu-Jen; Chen, Hua-Chien
MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are a family of small RNA molecules that negatively regulate the expression of protein-coding genes and play critical roles in orchestrating diverse cellular processes. This regulatory mechanism is also exploited by viruses to direct their life cycle and evade the host immune system. Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) is an oncogenic virus that is closely associated with multiple human diseases, including nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC), which is a highly metastatic type of tumor and is frequently reported in South Asia. Several viral proteins have been found to promote the migration and invasiveness of NPC cells. However, not all tumor tissues express these viral oncoproteins, suggesting that other mechanisms may contribute to the aggressive behavior of NPC tumor cells. A previous sequencing study by our group revealed that the EBV miRNA miR-BART9 was expressed at high levels in all EBV-positive NPC tissues. In the present study, we used gain- and loss-of-function approaches to investigate the effect of miR-BART9 in EBV-negative and EBV-positive NPC cells. We discovered that miR-BART9 promotes the migration and invasiveness of cultured NPC cells. The promigratory activity observed in vitro was manifested as an enhanced metastatic ability in vivo. Computational analysis revealed that miR-BART9 may target E-cadherin, a membrane protein that is pivotal in preserving cell-cell junctions and the epithelial phenotype. Through biochemical assays and functional rescue analysis, we confirmed that miR-BART9 specifically inhibits E-cadherin to induce a mesenchymal-like phenotype and promote the migration of NPC cells. These results indicated that miR-BART9 is a prometastatic viral miRNA and suggested that high levels of miR-BART9 in EBV-positive NPC cells may contribute to the aggressiveness of tumor cells. PMID:24586173
Altered E-Cadherin Levels and Distribution in Melanocytes Precede Clinical Manifestations of Vitiligo.
Wagner, Roselyne Y; Luciani, Flavie; Cario-André, Muriel; Rubod, Alain; Petit, Valérie; Benzekri, Laila; Ezzedine, Khaled; Lepreux, Sébastien; Steingrimsson, Eirikur; Taieb, A; Gauthier, Yvon; Larue, Lionel; Delmas, Véronique
Vitiligo is the most common depigmenting disorder resulting from the loss of melanocytes from the basal epidermal layer. The pathogenesis of the disease is likely multifactorial and involves autoimmune causes, as well as oxidative and mechanical stress. It is important to identify early events in vitiligo to clarify pathogenesis, improve diagnosis, and inform therapy. Here, we show that E-cadherin (Ecad), which mediates the adhesion between melanocytes and keratinocytes in the epidermis, is absent from or discontinuously distributed across melanocyte membranes of vitiligo patients long before clinical lesions appear. This abnormality is associated with the detachment of the melanocytes from the basal to the suprabasal layers in the epidermis. Using human epidermal reconstructed skin and mouse models with normal or defective Ecad expression in melanocytes, we demonstrated that Ecad is required for melanocyte adhesiveness to the basal layer under oxidative and mechanical stress, establishing a link between silent/preclinical, cell-autonomous defects in vitiligo melanocytes and known environmental stressors accelerating disease expression. Our results implicate a primary predisposing skin defect affecting melanocyte adhesiveness that, under stress conditions, leads to disappearance of melanocytes and clinical vitiligo. Melanocyte adhesiveness is thus a potential target for therapy aiming at disease stabilization.
Removal of sialic acid from the surface of human MCF-7 mammary cancer cells abolishes E-cadherin-dependent cell-cell adhesion in an aggregation assay.
Deman, J J; Van Larebeke, N A; Bruyneel, E A; Bracke, M E; Vermeulen, S J; Vennekens, K M; Mareel, M M
MCF-7 human breast cancer cells express E-cadherin and show, at least in some circumstances, E-cadherin-dependent cell-cell adhesion (Bracke et al., 1993). The MCF-7/AZ variant spontaneously displays E-cadherin-dependent fast aggregation; in the MCF-7/6 variant, E-cadherin appeared not to be spontaneously functional in the conditions of the fast aggregation assay, but function could be induced by incubation of the suspended cells in the presence of insulinlike growth factor I (IGF-I) (Bracke et al., 1993). E-cadherin from MCF-7 cells was shown to contain sialic acid. Treatment with neuraminidase was shown to remove this sialic acid, as well as most of the sialic acid present at the cell surface. Applied to MCF-7/AZ, and MCF-7/6 cells, pretreatment with neuraminidase abolished spontaneous as well as IGF-I induced, E-cadherin-dependent fast cell-cell adhesion of cells in suspension, as measured in the fast aggregation assay. Treatment with neuraminidase did not, however, inhibit the possibly different, but equally E-cadherin-mediated, process of cell-cell adhesion of MCF-7 cells on a flat plastic substrate as assessed by determining the percentage of cells remaining isolated (without contact with other cells) 24 h after plating.
Prognostic and Clinicopathological Significance of Downregulated E-Cadherin Expression in Patients with Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer (NSCLC): A Meta-Analysis
Xian, Lei
Background Many studies have investigated the prognostic role of E-cadherin in patients with NSCLC; however, the result still remains inconclusive. An up-to data system review and meta-analysis was necessary to give a comprehensive evaluation of prognostic role of E-cadherin in NSCLC. Methods Eligible studies were searched in Pubmed, Embase and Web of Science databases. The inclusion criteria were studies that assessed the relationship between E-cadherin expression detected by immunohistochemistry (IHC) and the prognosis or clinicopathological features in patients with NSCLC. Subgroup analysis according to race, percentage of reduced/negative E-cadherin expression, histological type, and sample size were also conducted. Odds ratio (OR) or hazard ratio (HR) with 95% confidence interval (CI) were calculated to examine the risk or hazard association. Results A total of 29 studies including 4010 patients were qualified for analysis. The analysis suggested that downregulated E-cadherin expression was significant associated with unfavorable overall survival (OS) and disease-free survival/progression-free survival (DFS/PFS) in patients with NSCLC. Subgroup analysis by race, percentage of reduced/negative E-cadherin expression, sample size also found the significant association in OS. When only the stage I NSCLC were considered, downregulated E-cadherin expression still had an unfavorable impact on OS. Additionally, downregulated E-cadherin expression was significantly associated with differentiation grade, lymphnode metastasis, vascular invasion, and TNM stage. Conclusion Downregulated E-cadherin expression detected by IHC seems to correlate with tumour progression and could serve as an important prognostic factor in patients with NSCLC. PMID:24978478
Homophilic interaction and deformation of E-cadherin and cadherin 7 probed by single molecule force spectroscopy.
Wu, Fei; Kumar, Prashant; Lu, Chen; El Marjou, Ahmed; Qiu, Wu; Lim, Chwee Teck; Thiery, Jean Paul; Liu, Ruchuan
Cadherin-mediated adhesion plays a crucial role in multicellular organisms. Dysfunction within this adhesion system has major consequences in many pathologies, including cancer invasion and metastasis. However, mechanisms controlling cadherin recognition and adhesive strengthening are only partially understood. Here, we investigated the homophilic interactions and mechanical stability of the extracellular (EC) domains of E-cadherin and cadherin 7 using atomic force microscopy and magnetic tweezers. Besides exhibiting stronger interactions, E-cadherin also showed more efficient force-induced self-strengthening of interactions than cadherin 7. In addition, the distributions of the unbinding forces for both cadherins partially overlap with those of the unfolding forces, indicating that partial unfolding/deformation of the cadherin EC domains may take place during their homophilic interactions. These conformational changes may be involved in cadherins physiology function and contribute to the significant differences in adhesive strength mediated by type I and type II cadherins.
Relationship of Sialyl-Lewisx/a Underexpression and E-Cadherin Overexpression in the Lymphovascular Embolus of Inflammatory Breast Carcinoma
Alpaugh, Mary L.; Tomlinson, James S.; Ye, Yin; Barsky, Sanford H.
Inflammatory breast carcinoma (IBC) is characterized by florid tumor emboli within lymphovascular spaces called lymphovascular invasion. These emboli have a unique microscopic appearance of compact clumps of tumor cells retracted away from the surrounding endothelial cell layer. Using a human SCID model of IBC (MARY-X), we, in previous studies, demonstrated that the tumor cell embolus (IBC spheroid) forms on the basis of an intact and overexpressed E-cadherin/α,β-catenin axis that mediates tumor cell-tumor cell adhesion. In the present study we examine the mechanism behind the apparent lack of binding of the tumor embolus to the surrounding endothelium. We find that this lack of tumor cell binding is because of markedly decreased sialyl-Lewisx/a (sLex/a) carbohydrate ligand-binding epitopes on its overexpressed MUC1 and other surface molecules that bind endothelial E-selectin. Decreased sLex/a is because of decreased α3/4-fucosyltransferase activity in MARY-X. The decreased sLex/a fail to confer electrostatic repulsions between tumor cells, which further contributes to the compactness of the MARY-X spheroid by allowing the E-cadherin homodimeric interactions to go unopposed. MARY-X spheroids were retrovirally transfected with FucT-III cDNA, significantly raising their levels of fucosyltransferase activity and surface sLex/a. In parallel experiments, enzymatic transfers with a milk α1,3-fucosyltransferase and an α2,3-sialyltransferase (ST3GalIV) were performed on the MARY-X spheroids and increased surface sLex/a. The addition of sLex/a by either manipulation caused disadherence of the MARY-X spheroids and the disruption of the E-cadherin homodimers mediating cell adhesion. Our findings support the cooperative relationship of sLex/a underexpression and E-cadherin overexpression in the genesis of the lymphovascular embolus of IBC. PMID:12163386
Role of the recently identified dysadherin in E-cadherin adhesion molecule downregulation in head and neck cancer.
Georgolios, Alexandros; Eleftheriadou, Anna; Batistatou, Anna; Charalabopoulos, Kostandinos
Dysadherin is a cancer-related cell membrane glycoprotein, recently identified, playing an important role in tumor progression and metastasis. In the present minireview article, we are focusing on the role of dysadherin in E-cadherin downregulation, the various expression patterns of the molecule in head and neck cancer as well as its potential role as a molecular target for future applications in diagnosis, clinical routine and prognosis of the disease.
Digital PCR identifies changes in CDH1 (E-cadherin) transcription pattern in intestinal-type gastric cancer.
Abou Khouzam, Raefa; Molinari, Chiara; Salvi, Samanta; Marabelli, Monica; Molinaro, Valeria; Orioli, Donata; Saragoni, Luca; Morgagni, Paolo; Calistri, Daniele; Ranzani, Guglielmina Nadia
E-cadherin is a cell-cell adhesion protein encoded by CDH1 tumor-suppressor gene. CDH1 inactivating mutations, leading to loss of protein expression, are common in gastric cancer of the diffuse histotype, while alternative mechanisms modulating E-cadherin expression characterize the more common intestinal histotype. These mechanisms are still poorly understood. CDH1 intron 2 has recently emerged as a cis-modulator of E-cadherin expression, encoding non-canonical transcripts. One in particular, CDH1a, proved to be expressed in gastric cancer cell lines, while being absent in the normal stomach. For the first time, we evaluated by digital PCR the expression of CDH1 and CDH1a transcripts in cancer and normal tissue samples from 32 patients with intestinal-type gastric cancer. We found a significant decrease in CDH1 expression in tumors compared to normal counterparts (P = 0.001), which was especially evident in 76% of cases. CDH1a was detected at extremely low levels in 47% of tumors, but not in normal mucosa. A trend was observed of having less CDH1 in tumors expressing CDH1atranscript. The majority of tumors with both a decrease in CDH1 and presence of CDH1a also showed a decrease in miR-101 expression levels. On the whole, the decrease of CDH1 transcript, corresponding to the canonical protein, and the presence of CDH1a, corresponding to an alternative isoform, are likely to perturb E-cadherin-mediated signaling and cell-cell adhesion, thus contributing to intestinal-type gastric carcinogenesis.
Loss of E-cadherin disrupts ovarian epithelial inclusion cyst formation and collective cell movement in ovarian cancer cells
Choi, Pui-Wah; Yang, Junzheng; Ng, Shu-Kay; Feltmate, Colleen; Muto, Michael G.; Hasselblatt, Kathleen; Lafferty-Whyte, Kyle; JeBailey, Lellean; MacConaill, Laura; Welch, William R.; Fong, Wing-Ping; Berkowitz, Ross S.; Ng, Shu-Wing
Increased inclusion cyst formation in the ovary is associated with ovarian cancer development. We employed in vitro three-dimensional (3D) organotypic models formed by normal human ovarian surface epithelial (OSE) cells and ovarian cancer cells to study the morphologies of normal and cancerous ovarian cortical inclusion cysts and the molecular changes during their transitions into stromal microenvironment. When compared with normal cysts that expressed tenascin, the cancerous cysts expressed high levels of laminin V and demonstrated polarized structures in Matrigel; and the cancer cells migrated collectively when the cyst structures were positioned in a stromal-like collagen I matrix. The molecular markers identified in the in vitro 3D models were verified in clinical samples. Network analysis of gene expression of the 3D structures indicates concurrent downregulation of transforming growth factor beta pathway genes and high levels of E-cadherin and microRNA200 (miR200) expression in the cancerous cysts and the migrating cancer cells. Transient silencing of E-cadherin expression in ovarian cancer cells disrupted cyst structures and inhibited collective cell migration. Taken together, our studies employing 3D models have shown that E-cadherin is crucial for ovarian inclusion cyst formation and collective cancer cell migration. PMID:26684027
Cell adhesion and sorting in embryoid bodies derived from N- or E-cadherin deficient murine embryonic stem cells
Moore, Robert; Tao, Wensi; Meng, Yue; Smith, Elizabeth R.; Xu, Xiang-Xi
Summary The primitive endoderm epithelial structure in mouse blastocysts forms following cell differentiation and subsequent sorting, and this two-step process can be reproduced in vitro using an embryoid body model. We found that in the chimeric embryoid bodies consisting of paired wildtype and E-cadherin null ES cells, the wildtype sorted to the center and were enveloped by the less adhesive E-cadherin null cells, in accord with Steinberg's hypothesis. However, wildtype and N-cadherin null ES cells intermixed and did not segregate, a situation that may be explained by Albert Harris' modified principle, which incorporates the unique properties of living cells. Furthermore, in chimeric embryoid bodies composed of N-cadherin and E-cadherin null ES cells, the two weakly interacting cell types segregated but did not envelop one another. Lastly, the most consistent and striking observation was that differentiated cells sorted to the surface and formed an enveloping layer, regardless of the relative cell adhesive affinity of any cell combination, supporting the hypothesis that the ability of the differentiated cells to establish apical polarity is the determining factor in surface sorting and positioning. PMID:24414205
Antagonistic effect of Candida albicans and IFNγ on E-cadherin expression and production by human primary gingival epithelial cells.
Rouabhia, Mahmoud; Semlali, Abdelhabib; Audoy, Julie; Chmielewski, Witold
Caused mainly by Candida albicans, oropharyngeal candidiasis is the most common oral complication associated with HIV disease worldwide. Host defenses against C. albicans essentially fall into two categories: specific immune mechanisms and local oral mucosal epithelial cell defenses. Since oral mucosa is the first line of defense in the form of a physical barrier against C. albicans invasion, and since epithelial cells are involved in anti-Candida innate immunity through different cytokines, we wanted to determine whether C. albicans alters E-cadherin expression and production, and whether interferon-γ (INFγ), a TH1 cytokine, is involved in the anti-Candida defense. Using primary human gingival epithelial cells, we demonstrated that C. albicans significantly decreased E-cadherin mRNA expression and protein production. This effect was basically obtained at later infective periods (24 and 48h). Interestingly, when IFNγ was added to C. albicans infected epithelial cell cultures, it prevented the side effect of C. albicans on E-cadherin mRNA expression and protein production and deposition. All together, these results suggested concomitant interactions between oral epithelial cells and IFNγ against C. albicans infection.
COX2 and PGE2 mediate EGF-induced E-cadherin-independent human ovarian cancer cell invasion.
Qiu, Xin; Cheng, Jung-Chien; Chang, Hsun-Ming; Leung, Peter C K
Elevated expression of cyclooxygenase 2 (COX2 (PTGS2)) has been reported to occur in human ovarian cancer and to be associated with poor prognosis. We have previously demonstrated that COX2-derived prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) promotes human ovarian cancer cell invasion. We had also demonstrated that epidermal growth factor (EGF) induces human ovarian cancer cell invasion by downregulating the expression of E-cadherin through various signaling pathways. However, it remains unclear whether COX2 and PGE2 are involved in the EGF-induced downregulation of E-cadherin expression and cell invasion in human ovarian cancer cells. In this study, we showed that EGF treatment induces COX2 expression and PGE2 production in SKOV3 and OVCAR5 human ovarian cancer cell lines. Interestingly, COX2 is not required for the EGF-induced downregulation of E-cadherin expression. In addition, EGF treatment activates the phosphatidylinositol-3-kinase (PI3K)/Akt and cAMP response element-binding protein (CREB) signaling pathways, while only the PI3K/Akt pathway is involved in EGF-induced COX2 expression. Moreover, we also showed that EGF-induced cell invasion is attenuated by treatment with a selective COX2 inhibitor, NS-398, as well as PGE2 siRNA. This study demonstrates an important role for COX2 and its derivative, PGE2, in the mediation of the effects of EGF on human ovarian cancer cell invasion.
Cell adhesion and sorting in embryoid bodies derived from N- or E-cadherin deficient murine embryonic stem cells.
Moore, Robert; Tao, Wensi; Meng, Yue; Smith, Elizabeth R; Xu, Xiang-Xi
The primitive endoderm epithelial structure in mouse blastocysts forms following cell differentiation and subsequent sorting, and this two-step process can be reproduced in vitro using an embryoid body model. We found that in the chimeric embryoid bodies consisting of paired wildtype and E-cadherin null ES cells, the wildtype sorted to the center and were enveloped by the less adhesive E-cadherin null cells, in accord with Steinberg's hypothesis. However, wildtype and N-cadherin null ES cells intermixed and did not segregate, a situation that may be explained by Albert Harris' modified principle, which incorporates the unique properties of living cells. Furthermore, in chimeric embryoid bodies composed of N-cadherin and E-cadherin null ES cells, the two weakly interacting cell types segregated but did not envelop one another. Lastly, the most consistent and striking observation was that differentiated cells sorted to the surface and formed an enveloping layer, regardless of the relative cell adhesive affinity of any cell combination, supporting the hypothesis that the ability of the differentiated cells to establish apical polarity is the determining factor in surface sorting and positioning.
Control of E-cadherin apical localisation and morphogenesis by a SOAP-1/AP-1/clathrin pathway in C. elegans epidermal cells.
Gillard, Ghislain; Shafaq-Zadah, Massiullah; Nicolle, Ophélie; Damaj, Raghida; Pécréaux, Jacques; Michaux, Grégoire
E-cadherin (E-cad) is the main component of epithelial junctions in multicellular organisms, where it is essential for cell-cell adhesion. The localisation of E-cad is often strongly polarised in the apico-basal axis. However, the mechanisms required for its polarised distribution are still largely unknown. We performed a systematic RNAi screen in vivo to identify genes required for the strict E-cad apical localisation in C. elegans epithelial epidermal cells. We found that the loss of clathrin, its adaptor AP-1 and the AP-1 interactor SOAP-1 induced a basolateral localisation of E-cad without affecting the apico-basal diffusion barrier. We further found that SOAP-1 controls AP-1 localisation, and that AP-1 is required for clathrin recruitment. Finally, we also show that AP-1 controls E-cad apical delivery and actin organisation during embryonic elongation, the final morphogenetic step of embryogenesis. We therefore propose that a molecular pathway, containing SOAP-1, AP-1 and clathrin, controls the apical delivery of E-cad and morphogenesis.
Expression of Tenascin C, EGFR, E-Cadherin, and TTF-1 in Medullary Thyroid Carcinoma and the Correlation with RET Mutation Status
Steiner, Florian; Hauser-Kronberger, Cornelia; Rendl, Gundula; Rodrigues, Margarida; Pirich, Christian
Tenascin C expression correlates with tumor grade and indicates worse prognosis in several tumors. Epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) plays an important role in driving proliferation in many tumors. Loss of E-cadherin function is associated with tumor invasion and metastasis. Thyroid transcription factor-1 (TTF-1) is involved in rearranged during transfection (RET) transcription in Hirschsprung's disease. Tenascin C, EGFR, E-cadherin, TTF-1-expression, and their correlations with RET mutation status were investigated in 30 patients with medullary thyroid carcinoma (MTC) (n = 26) or C-cell hyperplasia (n = 4). Tenascin C was found in all, EGFR in 4/26, E-cadherin in 23/26, and TTF-1 in 25/26 MTC. Tenascin C correlated significantly with tumor proliferation (overall, r = 0.61, p < 0.005; RET-mutated, r = 0.81, p < 0.01). E-cadherin showed weak correlation, whereas EGFR and TTF-1 showed no significant correlation with tumor proliferation. EGFR, E-cadherin, and TTF-1 showed weak correlation with proliferation of RET-mutated tumors. Correlation between TTF-1 and tenascin C, E-cadherin, and EGFR was r = −0.10, 0.37, and 0.21, respectively. In conclusion, MTC express tenascin C, E-cadherin, and TTF-1. Tenascin C correlates significantly with tumor proliferation, especially in RET-mutated tumors. EGFR is low, and tumors expressing EGFR do not exhibit higher proliferation. TTF-1 does not correlate with RET mutation status and has a weak correlation with tenascin C, E-cadherin, and EGFR expression. PMID:27409604
E-cadherin downregulation at the infiltrating tumour front is associated with histological grade and stage in colorectal carcinoma of Malaysians.
Dass, Serena Diane; Cheah, Phaik-Leng; Ong, Diana Bee-Lan; Teoh, Kean-Hooi; Looi, Lai-Meng
Loss of E-cadherin, a 120 kDA transmembrane glycoprotein responsible for cell-cell adhesion, is one of the hallmarks of epithelial-mesenchymal-transition (EMT). E-cadherin expression was immunohistochemically studied in 94 histopathologically re-confirmed colorectal carcinomas (CRC) using a monoclonal antibody to E-cadherin (Dako: Clone NCH-38) on a Ventana Benchmark XT automated system. Each case was assessed for E-cadherin immunopositivity at two separate locations viz the tumour centre (TC) as well as the infiltrating front (IF). Expression was semiquantitated for proportion of immunopositive malignant cells as 0 (negative), 1 (1-25% staining), 2 (26-50% staining), 3 (51-75% staining) and 4 (>75% staining) and staining intensity: 0 (negative), 1 (weak), 2 (moderate) and 3 (strong). The final histoscore of E-cadherin immunopositivity was arbitrarily computed as proportion of immunopositivity multiplied by staining intensity of the malignant cells. E-cadherin histoscores were significantly lower at the IF (4.5±2.5) compared with TC (10.7±2.4). Furthermore, the histoscores were significantly reduced at the IF of 49 TNM III+IV tumours (3.6±2.5) compared with 45 II+III CRC (5.4±2.2). Reduction of E-cadherin expression was also noted in the 23 high grade (TC=8.6±3.2; IF=2.6±2.3) compared with 71 low grade tumours (TC=11.4±1.5; IF=5.1±2.3). E-cadherin is downregulated at the infiltrating front of CRC, possibly marking for EMT at this location. The downregulation is further enhanced amongst late stage and high grade tumours compared with earlier stage and low grade tumours; findings which are similar to that noted in CRC of other populations.
Expression of Tenascin C, EGFR, E-Cadherin, and TTF-1 in Medullary Thyroid Carcinoma and the Correlation with RET Mutation Status.
Steiner, Florian; Hauser-Kronberger, Cornelia; Rendl, Gundula; Rodrigues, Margarida; Pirich, Christian
Tenascin C expression correlates with tumor grade and indicates worse prognosis in several tumors. Epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) plays an important role in driving proliferation in many tumors. Loss of E-cadherin function is associated with tumor invasion and metastasis. Thyroid transcription factor-1 (TTF-1) is involved in rearranged during transfection (RET) transcription in Hirschsprung's disease. Tenascin C, EGFR, E-cadherin, TTF-1-expression, and their correlations with RET mutation status were investigated in 30 patients with medullary thyroid carcinoma (MTC) (n = 26) or C-cell hyperplasia (n = 4). Tenascin C was found in all, EGFR in 4/26, E-cadherin in 23/26, and TTF-1 in 25/26 MTC. Tenascin C correlated significantly with tumor proliferation (overall, r = 0.61, p < 0.005; RET-mutated, r = 0.81, p < 0.01). E-cadherin showed weak correlation, whereas EGFR and TTF-1 showed no significant correlation with tumor proliferation. EGFR, E-cadherin, and TTF-1 showed weak correlation with proliferation of RET-mutated tumors. Correlation between TTF-1 and tenascin C, E-cadherin, and EGFR was r = -0.10, 0.37, and 0.21, respectively. In conclusion, MTC express tenascin C, E-cadherin, and TTF-1. Tenascin C correlates significantly with tumor proliferation, especially in RET-mutated tumors. EGFR is low, and tumors expressing EGFR do not exhibit higher proliferation. TTF-1 does not correlate with RET mutation status and has a weak correlation with tenascin C, E-cadherin, and EGFR expression.
Matrix Metalloproteinases 2 and 9 and E-Cadherin Expression in the Endometrium During the Implantation Window of Infertile Women Before In Vitro Fertilization Treatment
Rocha, Andre M.; Ferreira, Fernando P.; Bonetti, Tatiana C. S.; Serafini, Paulo; Motta, Eduardo L. A.
Objective: To evaluate the expression of endometrial matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) 2 and 9 and E-cadherin in peri-implantation phase of infertile women who have undergone in vitro fertilization (IVF) cycles. Methods: This prospective study included 51 patients who underwent endometrial biopsy during the receptive phase in a menstrual cycle prior to IVF treatment. The samples were evaluated by tissue microarray for immunohistochemical study. Results: The expression of MMP-2, MMP-9, and E-cadherin in the endometrium prior to IVF treatment was not associated with pregnancy. There was a decrease in E-cadherin immunodetection, the higher the age of the patients, a negative relationship between E-cadherin and MMP-2, and a positive association between MMP-9 and E-cadherin. Conclusions: The MMP-2, MMP-9, and E-cadherin are expressed in the endometrium of infertile patients during the receptive phase of the natural menstrual cycle. However, there is no correlation between the expression of these molecules and the clinical IVF outcomes. PMID:24700054
Decidual Cell Regulation of Natural Killer Cell–Recruiting Chemokines
Lockwood, Charles J.; Huang, S. Joseph; Chen, Chie-Pein; Huang, Yingqun; Xu, Jie; Faramarzi, Saeed; Kayisli, Ozlem; Kayisli, Umit; Koopman, Louise; Smedts, Dineke; Buchwalder, Lynn F.; Schatz, Frederick
First trimester human decidua is composed of decidual cells, CD56brightCD16− decidual natural killer (dNK) cells, and macrophages. Decidual cells incubated with NK cell–derived IFN-γ and either macrophage-derived TNF-α or IL-1β synergistically enhanced mRNA and protein expression of IP-10 and I-TAC. Both chemokines recruit CXCR3-expressing NK cells. This synergy required IFN-γ receptor 1 and 2 mediation via JAK/STAT and NFκB signaling pathways. However, synergy was not observed on neutrophil, monocyte, and NK cell–recruiting chemokines. Immunostaining of first trimester decidua localized IP-10, I-TAC, IFN-γR1, and -R2 to vimentin-positive decidual cells versus cytokeratin-positive interstitial trophoblasts. Flow cytometry identified high CXCR3 levels on dNK cells and minority peripheral CD56brightCD16− pNK cells and intermediate CXCR3 levels on the majority of CD56dimCD16+ pNK cells. Incubation of pNK cells with either IP-10 or I-TAC elicited concentration-dependent enhanced CXCR3 levels and migration of both pNK cell subsets that peaked at 10 ng/mL, whereas each chemokine at a concentration of 50 ng/mL inhibited CXCR3 expression and pNK cell migration. Deciduae from women with preeclampsia, a leading cause of maternal and fetal morbidity and mortality, displayed significantly lower dNK cell numbers and higher IP-10 and I-TAC levels versus gestational age–matched controls. Significantly elevated IP-10 levels in first trimester sera from women eventually developing preeclampsia compared with controls, identifying IP-10 as a novel, robust early predictor of preeclampsia. PMID:23973270
Knockdown or inhibition of aldo-keto reductase 1B10 inhibits pancreatic carcinoma growth via modulating Kras-E-cadherin pathway.
Zhang, Wanying; Li, Haonan; Yang, Yihe; Liao, Jie; Yang, Guang-Yu
Aldo-keto reductase 1B10 (AKR1B10) has relatively specific lipid substrates including carbonyls, retinal and farnesal/geranylgeranial. Metabolizing these lipid substrates appears crucial to carcinogenesis, particularly for farnesal/geranylgeranial that involves protein prenylation. Mutant Kras is a most common active oncogene in pancreatic cancer, and its activation requires protein prenylation. To directly determine the role of AKR1B10 in pancreatic carcinogenesis, we knocked down AKR1B10 in CD18 human pancreatic carcinoma cells using shRNA approach. Silencing AKR1B10 resulted in a significant inhibition of anchor-dependent growth (knockdown cells vs. vector-control cells: 67 ± 9.5 colonies/HPF vs. 170 ± 3.7 colonies/HPF, p < 0.01), invasion index (0.27 vs. 1.00, p < 0.05), and cell migration (at 16 hours 9.2 ± 1.2% vs. 14.0 ± 1.8%, at 24 hours 21.0 ± 1.1% vs. 30.5 ± 3.5%, and at 48 hours 51.9 ± 5.7% vs. 88.9 ± 3.0%, p < 0.01). Inhibition of AKR1B10 by oleanolic acid (OA) showed a dose-dependent inhibition of cell growth with IC50 at 30 µM. Kras pull-down and Western blot analysis revealed a significant down-regulation of active form Kras and phosphorylated C-Raf, and Erk, as well as an up-regulation of E-cadherin. A significant reduction of in vivo tumor growth was observed in nude mice implanted with the CD18 pancreatic carcinoma cells with AKR1B10 knockdown (tumor weight: 0.25 ± 0.06 g vs. 0.52 ± 0.07 g, p = 0.01), and with OA treatment (tumor weight: 0.35 ± 0.05 g vs. 0.52 ± 0.07 g, p = 0.05). Our findings indicate AKR1B10 is a unique enzyme involved in pancreatic carcinogenesis via modulation of the Kras-E-cadherin pathway.
Factors regulating stem cell recruitment to the fetal thymus.
Wilkinson, B; Owen, J J; Jenkinson, E J
Colonization of the thymic rudiment during development is initiated before vascularization so that hemopoietic precursors must leave the pharyngeal vessels and migrate through the perithymic mesenchyme to reach the thymus, suggesting that they may be responding to a gradient of chemoattractant factors. We report that diffusible chemoattractants are produced by MHC class II+ epithelial cells of the fetal thymus, and that the response of precursors to these factors is mediated via a G protein-coupled receptor, consistent with factors being members of the chemokine family. Indeed, a number of chemokine receptors are expressed by thymic precursors, and several chemokines are also expressed by thymic epithelial cells. However, these chemokines are also expressed in a tissue that is unable to attract precursors, although the thymus expressed chemokine, TECK, is expressed at higher levels in thymic epithelial cells and we show that it has chemotactic activity for isolated thymic precursors. Neutralizing Ab to TECK, however, did not prevent thymus recolonization by T cell precursors, suggesting that other novel chemokines might be involved in this process. In addition, we provide evidence for the involvement of matrix metalloproteinases in chemoattractant-mediated T cell precursor recruitment to the thymus during embryogenesis.
Knockdown of ILK inhibits glioma development via upregulation of E-cadherin and downregulation of cyclin D1.
Zheng, Kebin; Wang, Guangyi; Li, Chunhui; Shan, Xiaosong; Liu, Haipeng
Integrin-linked kinase (ILK) is a highly conserved serine-threonine protein kinase that interacts with cytoplasmic domains of integrin subunits in tumor tissues. However, the relationship between gliomas and ILK is elusive. The present study aimed to investigate the role of ILK in a human glioma cell line (U251). ILK stable expressing vector, U251ILK-PGFP-V-RS-shRNA, was established and named as U251-si. The empty-PGFP-V-RS-shRNA (U251-N) was employed as the control. Quantitative real-time PCR and western blot analysis were used to detect ILK and E-cadherin mRNA and protein expression, respectively. Cell cycle analysis was employed to examine the cell cycle distribution. Cell migration was detected using a wound healing assay, and cell invasion was detected using a Transwell invasion assay. Tumor size and weight were also examined. The results indicated that ILK was expressed at a lower level at both the mRNA and protein levels in the U251-si group compared with the U251-N group (p<0.01). ILK knockdown suppressed cell proliferation of the glioma cells. Knockdown of ILK reduced the migratory and invasive potentials of the glioma cells. Inhibition of ILK expression upregulated E-cadherin and downregulated cyclin D1 in the glioma cells compared to the U251-N group (p<0.05). Knockdown of ILK in the U251 cells attenuated the ability of U251 cells to form tumors in nude mice and impaired glioma cell in vivo tumorigenicity. In conclusion, knockdown of ILK inhibits glioma cell migration, invasion and proliferation through upregulation of E-cadherin and downregulation of cyclin D1. Our results suggest that ILK may serve as a promising therapeutic target for glioma.
Loss of e-cadherin and retinoblastoma genes in a case of urothelial carcinoma with scrotal metastasis.
Norberg, Scott M; Oros, Michelle; Manucha, Varsha; Eun, Daniel; Bilusic, Marijo
Cutaneous metastases from urologic cancers are very uncommon, usually represent widespread metastatic disease and are associated with a very poor prognosis. They may occur in 1% of patients with urologic malignancies, most commonly from kidney, followed by bladder and prostate tumors. In this report, we describe a case of urothelial carcinoma with metastases to the scrotum treated with platinum based chemotherapy with a durable complete response lasting more than 14 months. Molecular profiling revealed deleterious mutations in e-cadherin and retinoblastoma genes, suggesting their possible role in the pathogenesis of cutaneous metastases. Further studies are needed to validate this observation.
CDH1/E-cadherin and solid tumors. An updated gene-disease association analysis using bioinformatics tools.
Abascal, María Florencia; Besso, María José; Rosso, Marina; Mencucci, María Victoria; Aparicio, Evangelina; Szapiro, Gala; Furlong, Laura Inés; Vazquez-Levin, Mónica Hebe
Cancer is a group of diseases that causes millions of deaths worldwide. Among cancers, Solid Tumors (ST) stand-out due to their high incidence and mortality rates. Disruption of cell-cell adhesion is highly relevant during tumor progression. Epithelial-cadherin (protein: E-cadherin, gene: CDH1) is a key molecule in cell-cell adhesion and an abnormal expression or/and function(s) contributes to tumor progression and is altered in ST. A systematic study was carried out to gather and summarize current knowledge on CDH1/E-cadherin and ST using bioinformatics resources. The DisGeNET database was exploited to survey CDH1-associated diseases. Reported mutations in specific ST were obtained by interrogating COSMIC and IntOGen tools. CDH1 Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms (SNP) were retrieved from the dbSNP database. DisGeNET analysis identified 609 genes annotated to ST, among which CDH1 was listed. Using CDH1 as query term, 26 disease concepts were found, 21 of which were neoplasms-related terms. Using DisGeNET ALL Databases, 172 disease concepts were identified. Of those, 80 ST disease-related terms were subjected to manual curation and 75/80 (93.75%) associations were validated. On selected ST, 489 CDH1 somatic mutations were listed in COSMIC and IntOGen databases. Breast neoplasms had the highest CDH1-mutation rate. CDH1 was positioned among the 20 genes with highest mutation frequency and was confirmed as driver gene in breast cancer. Over 14,000 SNP for CDH1 were found in the dbSNP database. This report used DisGeNET to gather/compile current knowledge on gene-disease association for CDH1/E-cadherin and ST; data curation expanded the number of terms that relate them. An updated list of CDH1 somatic mutations was obtained with COSMIC and IntOGen databases and of SNP from dbSNP. This information can be used to further understand the role of CDH1/E-cadherin in health and disease.
E-cadherin-downregulation and RECK-upregulation are coupled in the non-malignant epithelial cell line MCF10A but not in multiple carcinoma-derived cell lines.
Yuki, Kanako; Yoshida, Yoko; Inagaki, Ryosaku; Hiai, Hiroshi; Noda, Makoto
Expression of a mesenchymal phenotype is often associated with invasive/metastatic behaviors of carcinoma cells. Acquisition of a mesenchymal phenotype by a carcinoma cell is known as epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT). The membrane-anchored matrix metalloproteinase-regulator RECK is abundant in normal mesenchymal cells. In aggressive carcinomas, however, RECK expression is often downregulated. This apparent paradox prompted us to clarify the relationship between EMT and RECK. We found that TGFβ-induced E-cadherin downregulation, a hallmark of EMT, is accompanied by RECK-upregulation in a non-tumorigenic epithelial cell line (MCF10A). In contrast, the loss of E-cadherin expression is uncoupled from RECK-upregulation in carcinoma-derived cell lines (MCF7, MDA-MB-231, and A549). When RECK was artificially expressed in A549 cells, it showed little effect on EMT but elevated the level of integrin α5 and attenuated cell proliferation and migration. These findings implicate RECK in the regulation of proliferation and migration of normal epithelial cells after EMT and suggest how the uncoupling between EMT and RECK-upregulation impacts on the fates and behaviors of carcinoma cells.
The αE(CD103)β7 integrin interacts with oral and skin keratinocytes in an E-cadherin-independent manner*.
Jenkinson, Sarah E; Whawell, Simon A; Swales, Brenka M; Corps, Elaine M; Kilshaw, Peter J; Farthing, Paula M
The integrin αE(CD103)β7 (αEβ7) is expressed by intraepithelial lymphocytes, dendritic cells and regulatory T cells. It plays an important role in the mucosal immune system by retaining lymphocytes within the epithelium and is involved in graft rejection, immunity against tumours and the generation of gut-homing effector cells. In gut and breast, the ligand for αEβ7 is E-cadherin but in human oral mucosa and skin, there is evidence that lymphocytes use an alternative, unknown, ligand. In the present study, the I domain of the human αE subunit, which contains the E-cadherin-binding site, was locked in a highly active, 'open' and an inactive, 'closed' conformation by the introduction of disulphide bonds and these domains were expressed as IgG Fc fusion proteins. αE fusion proteins recognize E-cadherin, the only known ligand for αEβ7. This interaction was inhibited by an antibody that blocks the αE-binding site on E-cadherin and by the omission of Mn(2+) , which is essential for integrin function in vitro. The locked 'open' conformation of αE adhered to human oral and skin keratinocytes, including the E-cadherin-negative H376 cell line, and this was not inhibited by blocking antibody against the αEβ7-binding site on E-cadherin, providing further evidence for the existence of an alternative ligand for αEβ7 in skin and oral mucosa. The interaction with E-cadherin and the alternative ligand was Mn(2+) dependent and mediated by the metal ion-dependent coordination site (MIDAS) of the locked 'open'αE I domain, independently of the β7 subunit.
Downregulation of E-cadherin is an essential event in activating beta-catenin/Tcf-dependent transcription and expression of its target genes in Pdcd4 knockdown cells.
Wang, Q; Sun, Z-X; Allgayer, H; Yang, H-S
We reported earlier that knockdown of tumor suppressor Pdcd4 (programed cell death 4) downregulates E-cadherin expression and activates beta-catenin/Tcf (T-cell factor)-dependent transcription in colon tumor cells. However, the underlying mechanism of these observations remains unknown. In this study, we showed that knockdown of Pdcd4 downregulates E-cadherin expression through elevated protein level of Snail. Over-expression of Pdcd4 upregulates E-cadherin expression and inhibits beta-catenin/Tcf-dependent transcription. We then showed that knockdown of E-cadherin activates beta-catenin/Tcf-dependent transcription. Conversely, over-expression of E-cadherin in Pdcd4 knockdown cells inhibits beta-catenin/Tcf-dependent transcription. In addition, Pdcd4 knockdown stimulates urokinase-type plasminogen activator receptor (u-PAR) and c-Myc expression, whereas u-PAR and c-Myc expression can be reversed by over-expressing E-cadherin in Pdcd4 knockdown cells. Using chromatin immunoprecipitation, we showed that beta-catenin/Tcf4 directly binds to the promoters of u-PAR and c-myc in Pdcd4 knockdown cells. Futhermore, knockdown of u-PAR or c-Myc inhibits invasion in Pdcd4 knockdown cells, suggesting that both u-PAR and c-Myc contribute to invasion induced by Pdcd4 knockdown. Taken together, our data showed that elevated Snail expression by Pdcd4 knockdown leads to downregulation of E-cadherin resulting in activating beta-catenin/Tcf-dependent transcription and stimulating the expression of c-Myc and u-PAR, thus providing molecular explanation of how Pdcd4 suppresses tumor invasion.
Egr-1 mediates epidermal growth factor-induced downregulation of E-cadherin expression via Slug in human ovarian cancer cells.
Cheng, J-C; Chang, H-M; Leung, P C K
Loss of the cell adhesion protein E-cadherin increases the invasive capability of ovarian cancer cells. We have previously shown that epidermal growth factor (EGF) downregulates E-cadherin and induces ovarian cancer cell invasion through the H(2)O(2)/p38 MAPK-mediated upregulation of the E-cadherin transcriptional repressor Snail. However, the molecular mechanisms underlying the EGF-induced downregulation of E-cadherin are not fully understood. In the current study, we demonstrated that treatment of two ovarian cancer cell lines, SKOV3 and OVCAR5, with EGF induced the expression of the transcription factor Egr-1, and this induction was abolished by small interfering RNA (siRNA)-mediated depletion of the EGF receptor. EGF-induced Egr-1 expression required the activation of the ERK1/2 and PI3K/Akt signaling pathways and was unrelated to EGF-induced H(2)O(2) production and activation of the p38 MAPK pathway. Moreover, depletion of Egr-1 with siRNA abolished the EGF-induced downregulation of E-cadherin and increased cell invasion. Interestingly, siRNA depletion of Egr-1 attenuated the EGF-induced expression of Slug, but not that of Snail. Moreover, chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP) analysis showed that Slug is a target gene of Egr-1. These results provide evidence that Egr-1 is a mediator that is involved in the EGF-induced downregulation of E-cadherin and increased cell invasion. Our results also demonstrate that EGF activates two independent signaling pathways, which are the H(2)O(2)/p38 MAPK-mediated upregulation of Snail expression and the Egr-1-mediated upregulation of Slug expression. These two signaling pathways contribute to the EGF-induced downregulation of E-cadherin, which subsequently increases the invasive capability of ovarian cancer cells.
The αE(CD103)β7 integrin interacts with oral and skin keratinocytes in an E-cadherin-independent manner*
Jenkinson, Sarah E; Whawell, Simon A; Swales, Brenka M; Corps, Elaine M; Kilshaw, Peter J; Farthing, Paula M
The integrin αE(CD103)β7 (αEβ7) is expressed by intraepithelial lymphocytes, dendritic cells and regulatory T cells. It plays an important role in the mucosal immune system by retaining lymphocytes within the epithelium and is involved in graft rejection, immunity against tumours and the generation of gut-homing effector cells. In gut and breast, the ligand for αEβ7 is E-cadherin but in human oral mucosa and skin, there is evidence that lymphocytes use an alternative, unknown, ligand. In the present study, the I domain of the human αE subunit, which contains the E-cadherin-binding site, was locked in a highly active, 'open' and an inactive, 'closed' conformation by the introduction of disulphide bonds and these domains were expressed as IgG Fc fusion proteins. αE fusion proteins recognize E-cadherin, the only known ligand for αEβ7. This interaction was inhibited by an antibody that blocks the αE-binding site on E-cadherin and by the omission of Mn2+, which is essential for integrin function in vitro. The locked 'open' conformation of αE adhered to human oral and skin keratinocytes, including the E-cadherin-negative H376 cell line, and this was not inhibited by blocking antibody against the αEβ7-binding site on E-cadherin, providing further evidence for the existence of an alternative ligand for αEβ7 in skin and oral mucosa. The interaction with E-cadherin and the alternative ligand was Mn2+ dependent and mediated by the metal ion-dependent coordination site (MIDAS) of the locked 'open'αE I domain, independently of the β7 subunit. PMID:20875079
Hyaluronan and layilin mediate loss of airway epithelial barrier function induced by cigarette smoke by decreasing E-cadherin.
Forteza, Rosanna Malbran; Casalino-Matsuda, S Marina; Falcon, Nieves S; Valencia Gattas, Monica; Monzon, Maria E
Cigarette smoke (CigS) exposure is associated with increased bronchial epithelial permeability and impaired barrier function. Primary cultures of normal human bronchial epithelial cells exposed to CigS exhibit decreased E-cadherin expression and reduced transepithelial electrical resistance. These effects were mediated by hyaluronan (HA) because inhibition of its synthesis with 4-methylumbelliferone prevented these effects, and exposure to HA fragments of <70 kDa mimicked these effects. We show that the HA receptor layilin is expressed apically in human airway epithelium and that cells infected with lentivirus expressing layilin siRNAs were protected against increased permeability triggered by both CigS and HA. We identified RhoA/Rho-associated protein kinase (ROCK) as the signaling effectors downstream layilin. We conclude that HA fragments generated by CigS bind to layilin and signal through Rho/ROCK to inhibit the E-cadherin gene and protein expression, leading to a loss of epithelial cell-cell contact. These studies suggest that HA functions as a master switch protecting or disrupting the epithelial barrier in its high versus low molecular weight form and that its depolymerization is a first and necessary step triggering the inflammatory response to CigS.
Carcinoma cells induce lumen filling and EMT in epithelial cells through soluble E-cadherin-mediated activation of EGFR
Patil, Pratima U.; D'Ambrosio, Julia; Inge, Landon J.; Mason, Robert W.; Rajasekaran, Ayyappan K.
ABSTRACT In epithelial cancers, carcinoma cells coexist with normal cells. Although it is known that the tumor microenvironment (TME) plays a pivotal role in cancer progression, it is not completely understood how the tumor influences adjacent normal epithelial cells. In this study, a three-dimensional co-culture system comprising non-transformed epithelial cells (MDCK) and transformed carcinoma cells (MSV-MDCK) was used to demonstrate that carcinoma cells sequentially induce preneoplastic lumen filling and epithelial–mesenchymal transition (EMT) in epithelial cysts. MMP-9 secreted by carcinoma cells cleaves cellular E-cadherin (encoded by CDH1) from epithelial cells to generate soluble E-cadherin (sE-cad), a pro-oncogenic protein. We show that sE-cad induces EGFR activation, resulting in lumen filling in MDCK cysts. Long-term sE-cad treatment induced EMT. sE-cad caused lumen filling by induction of the ERK signaling pathway and triggered EMT through the sustained activation of the AKT pathway. Although it is known that sE-cad induces MMP-9 release and consequent EGFR activation in tumor cells, our results, for the first time, demonstrate that carcinoma cells can induce sE-cad shedding in adjacent epithelial cells, which leads to EGFR activation and the eventual transdifferentiation of the normal epithelial cells. PMID:26483386
Hyaluronan and Layilin Mediate Loss of Airway Epithelial Barrier Function Induced by Cigarette Smoke by Decreasing E-cadherin*
Forteza, Rosanna Malbran; Casalino-Matsuda, S. Marina; Falcon, Nieves S.; Valencia Gattas, Monica; Monzon, Maria E.
Cigarette smoke (CigS) exposure is associated with increased bronchial epithelial permeability and impaired barrier function. Primary cultures of normal human bronchial epithelial cells exposed to CigS exhibit decreased E-cadherin expression and reduced transepithelial electrical resistance. These effects were mediated by hyaluronan (HA) because inhibition of its synthesis with 4-methylumbelliferone prevented these effects, and exposure to HA fragments of <70 kDa mimicked these effects. We show that the HA receptor layilin is expressed apically in human airway epithelium and that cells infected with lentivirus expressing layilin siRNAs were protected against increased permeability triggered by both CigS and HA. We identified RhoA/Rho-associated protein kinase (ROCK) as the signaling effectors downstream layilin. We conclude that HA fragments generated by CigS bind to layilin and signal through Rho/ROCK to inhibit the E-cadherin gene and protein expression, leading to a loss of epithelial cell-cell contact. These studies suggest that HA functions as a master switch protecting or disrupting the epithelial barrier in its high versus low molecular weight form and that its depolymerization is a first and necessary step triggering the inflammatory response to CigS. PMID:23048036
The expressions of NEDD9 and E-cadherin correlate with metastasis and poor prognosis in triple-negative breast cancer patients
Li, Peng; Sun, Tingting; Yuan, Qingzhong; Pan, Guozheng; Zhang, Jian; Sun, Diwen
Background Neural precursor cell expressed, developmentally downregulated 9 (NEDD9), a member of Crk-associated substrate family, is involved in cancer cell adhesion, migration, invasion, and epithelial–mesenchymal transition. E-cadherin is a key event in the cellular invasion during the epithelial–mesenchymal transition mechanism. The aim of this study was to evaluate the association among NEDD9 expression, E-cadherin expression, and survival in triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) patients. Methods NEDD9 and E-cadherin expressions were analyzed by immunohistochemistry in 106 TNBC patients and 120 non-TNBC patients. And the association of clinicopathological factors with survival was analyzed using Kaplan–Meier analysis and Cox regression in TNBC patients. Results The results revealed that the rate of increased expression of NEDD9 and reduced expression of E-cadherin was significantly higher in TNBC group than that in non-TNBC group (P<0.001, both). Comparison of features between TNBC and non-TNBC groups showed that histological type (P=0.026) and lymph node metastasis (P=0.001) were significantly different. Correlation analysis showed that positive NEDD9 expression and negative E-cadherin expression were significantly correlated with lymph node metastasis and tumor-node-metastasis stage (P<0.05). In addition, the enhanced NEDD9 expression was significantly associated with a reduced 5-year survival for TNBC patients (overall survival [OS]: P=0.013; disease-free survival [DFS]: P=0.021). Negative E-cadherin expression showed a significantly worse 5-year OS and DFS (OS: P=0.011; DFS: P=0.012). Multivariate analysis showed that lymph node metastasis (OS: P=0.006; DFS: P=0.004), tumor-node-metastasis stage (OS: P=0.012; DFS: P=0.001), NEDD9 (OS: P=0.046; DFS: P=0.022), and E-cadherin (OS: P=0.022; DFS: P=0.025) independently predicted a poor prognosis of OS and DFS. Moreover, patients with NEDD9-positive/E-cadherin-negative expression had a significantly worse
Role of E-cadherin in the induction of apoptosis of HPV16-positive CaSki cervical cancer cells during multicellular tumor spheroid formation.
Haga, Takeshi; Uchide, Noboru; Tugizov, Sharof; Palefsky, Joel M
Multicellular tumor spheroids (MCTS) are three dimensional cell culture systems induced by suspension culture. MCTS are widely used in cancer research because of their similarity to solid tumors. CaSki cells are derived from a metastatic cervical cancer containing human papillomavirus 16 (HPV16). Cell death of CaSki cells in MCTS has been previously reported, and our model is used to better characterize the mechanisms of cell death of HPV16-positive keratinocytes. In this study, we found that apoptosis of CaSki cells was induced by suspension culture along with the formation of MCTS after 24 h of incubation. In suspended CaSki cells, monoclonal antibodies blocking E-cadherin function inhibited MCTS formation and suppressed suspension-induced apoptosis in a dose-dependent manner. Western blot for E-cadherin detected upregulation of the authentic 120 kDa band from MCTS of CaSki cells as well as a shorter 100 kDa band. Addition of EGF, whose receptor is known to form a complex with E-cadherin, abrogated apoptosis of suspended CaSki cells in a dose-dependent manner. These findings suggest that E-cadherin-dependent cell-cell contact, directly or indirectly, mediates the signal to undergo apoptosis of CaSki cells during MCTS formation, and thus provides new information on the role of E-cadherin in cervical cancer cell apoptosis.
Induction of the LRP16 gene by estrogen promotes the invasive growth of Ishikawa human endometrial cancer cells through the downregulation of E-cadherin.
Meng, Yuan Guang; Han, Wei Dong; Zhao, Ya Li; Huang, Ke; Si, Yi Ling; Wu, Zhi Qiang; Mu, Yi Ming
LRP16 was previously identified as an estrogen-induced gene in breast cancer cells. The responsiveness of LRP16 to estrogen and its functional effects in endometrial cancer (EC) cells are still unclear. Here, we show that the mRNA level and promoter activity of the LRP16 gene were significantly increased by 17beta-estradiol (E2) in estrogen receptor alpha (ER alpha)-positive Ishikawa human EC cells. Although the growth rate of Ishikawa cells was not obviously affected by ectopic expression of LRP16, the results of a Transwell assay showed an approximate one-third increase of the invasive capacity of LRP16-overexpressing cells. As a result of molecular screening, we observed that the expression of E-cadherin, an essential adhesion molecule associated with tumor metastasis, was repressed by LRP16. Further promoter analyses demonstrated that LRP16 inhibited E-cadherin transactivation in a dose-dependent manner. However, the inhibition was abolished by estrogen deprivation, indicating that the downregulation of E-cadherin transcription by LRP16 requires ER alpha mediation. Chromatin immunoprecipitation analyses revealed that the binding of ER alpha to the E-cadherin promoter was antagonized by LRP16, suggesting that LRP16 could interfere with ER alpha-mediated transcription. These results suggest that the upregulation of LRP16 by estrogen could be involved in invasive growth by downregulating E-cadherin in human ECs.
Expression of RKIP, E-cadherin and NF-kB p65 in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma and their correlations.
Ping, Fu-Min; Liu, Gui-Jing; Liu, Zhi-Jun; Li, Hai-Bin; Zhai, Jian-Wen; Li, Shu-Xia; Liu, Yue-Mei; Li, Bao-Wei; Wei, Hong
To detect the expression of RKIP, E-cadherin and NF-kB p65 in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) and study their correlations. Steptavidin-peroxidase (S-P) method was employed to detect the expressions of RKIP, E-cadherin and NF-kB p65 in ESCC tissues from 77 cases and paracancerous tissues from 77 cases. The correlations between their expressions and clinicopathological indices and between the expressions of these proteins themselves were analyzed. The expressions of RKIP and E-cadherin in ESCC tissues were obviously lower than those in the paracancerous tissues (P<0.01); the expressions in ESCC tissues from cases with lymph node metastasis were lower than those from cases without lymph node metastasis (P<0.01); the expression of RKIP was positively correlated with the expression of E-cadherin in ESCC tissues (P<0.01). The expression of NF-kB p65 in ESCC tissues was correlated with clinical staging, lymph node metastasis and tumor differentiation (P<0.01); the expression of RKIP was negatively correlated with the expression of NF-kB p65 in ESCC tissues (P<0.05). Downregulation or depletion of RKIP was related to the onset and progression of ESCC, and facilitated the invasion and metastasis of ESCC by downregulating E-cadherin and upregulating NF-kB p65.
JianPi JieDu Recipe Inhibits Epithelial-to-Mesenchymal Transition in Colorectal Cancer through TGF-β/Smad Mediated Snail/E-Cadherin Expression
Liu, Xuan; Deng, Wanli; Chai, Ni; Feng, Yuanyuan; Zhou, Lihong; Sui, Hua; Li, Chunpu; Sun, Xiaoting
JPJD was an ideal alternative traditional Chinese medicine compound in the prevention and treatment of CRC, but its underlying mechanisms has not been fully elucidated. In this study, we demonstrated in vitro that TGF-β-induced EMT promoted the invasion and metastasis of CRC cells, reduced the expression of E-cadherin, and elevated the expression of Vimentin. However, JPJD could inhibit the invasive and migratory ability of TGF-β-stimulated CRC cells in a concentration-dependent manner through increasing the expression of E-cadherin and repressing the expression of Vimentin, as well as the inhibition of TGF-β/Smad signaling pathway. Meanwhile, JPJD reduced the transcriptional activities of EMT-associated factors Snail and E-cadherin during the initiation of TGF-β-induced EMT. In vivo, the results demonstrated that JPJD can significantly inhibit the liver and lung metastasis of orthotopic CRC tumor in nude mice, as well as significantly prolonging the survival time of tumor-bearing in a dose-dependent manner. Additionally, JPJD can upregulate the expression of E-cadherin and Smad2/3 in the cytoplasm and downregulate the expression of Vimentin, p-Smad2/3, and Snail in the orthotopic CRC tumor tissues. In conclusions, our new findings provided evidence that JPJD could inhibit TGF-β-induced EMT in CRC through TGF-β/Smad mediated Snail/E-cadherin expression. PMID:28299321
The Hedgehog Inhibitor Cyclopamine Reduces β-Catenin-Tcf Transcriptional Activity, Induces E-Cadherin Expression, and Reduces Invasion in Colorectal Cancer Cells
Qualtrough, David; Rees, Phil; Speight, Beverley; Williams, Ann C.; Paraskeva, Christos
Colorectal cancer is a major global health problem resulting in over 600,000 deaths world-wide every year with the majority of these due to metastatic disease. Wnt signalling, and more specifically β-catenin-related transcription, has been shown to drive both tumorigenesis and the metastatic process in colorectal neoplasia, yet its complex interactions with other key signalling pathways, such as hedgehog, remain to be elucidated. We have previously shown that the Hedgehog (HH) signalling pathway is active in cells from colorectal tumours, and that inhibition of the pathway with cyclopamine induces apoptosis. We now show that cyclopamine treatment reduces β-catenin related transcription in colorectal cancer cell lines, and that this effect can be reversed by addition of Sonic Hedgehog protein. We also show that cyclopamine concomitantly induces expression of the tumour suppressor and prognostic indicator E-cadherin. Consistent with a role for HH in regulating the invasive potential we show that cyclopamine reduces the expression of transcription factors (Slug, Snail and Twist) associated with the epithelial-mesenchymal transition and reduces the invasiveness of colorectal cancer cells in vitro. Taken together, these data show that pharmacological inhibition of the hedgehog pathway has therapeutic potential in the treatment of colorectal cancer. PMID:26393651
E-Cadherin, CD44v6, and Insulin-Like Growth Factor-II mRNA-Binding Protein 3 Expressions in Different Stages of Hydatidiform Moles.
Wang, Jiajun; Zhao, Min; Xiao, Jianping; Wu, Man; Song, Yaohua; Yin, Yongxiang
E-cadherin, CD44v6, and IMP3 expression in partial, complete, and invasive hydatidiform moles (HMs) was evaluated. High E-cadherin expression with low CD44v6 expression was observed in partial, complete, and invasive HMs, as well as in normal placental tissues; and there was no significant difference in E-cadherin and CD44v6 expression among the four groups. However, IMP3 expression was gradually decreased in the order of normal placental tissues, partial HMs, complete HMs, and invasive HMs; wherein, invasive HMs had the lowest level. Low IMP3 expression may serve as a prognostic biomarker for HMs, and IMP3 may play a certain role in HMs progression.
Reduced expression of the chromatin remodeling gene ARID1A enhances gastric cancer cell migration and invasion via downregulation of E-cadherin transcription.
Yan, Hai-Bo; Wang, Xue-Fei; Zhang, Qian; Tang, Zhao-Qing; Jiang, Ying-Hua; Fan, Hui-Zhi; Sun, Yi-hong; Yang, Peng-Yuan; Liu, Feng
The chromatin remodeling gene AT-rich interactive domain-containing protein 1A (ARID1A) encodes the protein BAF250a, a subunit of human SWI/SNF-related complexes. Recent studies have identified ARID1A as a tumor suppressor. Here, we show that ARID1A expression is reduced in gastric cancer (GC) tissues, which are significantly associated with local lymph node metastasis, tumor infiltration and poor patient prognosis. ARID1A silencing enforces the migration and invasion of GC cells, whereas ectopic expression of ARID1A inhibits migration. The adhesive protein E-cadherin is remarkably downregulated in response to ARID1A silencing, but it is upregulated by ARID1A overexpression. E-cadherin overexpression significantly inhibits GC cell migration and invasion, whereas CDH1 (coded E-cadherin) silencing promotes migration. Restored expression of CDH1 in ARID1A-silenced cell lines restores the inhibition of cell migration. Luciferase reporter assays and chromatin immunoprecipitation indicate that the ARID1A-associated SWI/SNF complex binds to the CDH1 promoter and modulates CDH1 transcription. ARID1A knockdown induces evident morphological changes of GC cells with increased expression of mesenchymal markers, indicating an epithelial-mesenchymal transition. ARID1A silencing does not alter the level of β-catenin but induces a subcellular redistribution of β-catenin from the plasma membrane to the cytoplasm and nucleus. Immunohistochemical studies demonstrate that reduced expression of E-cadherin is associated with local lymph node metastasis, tumor infiltration and poor clinical prognosis. ARID1A and E-cadherin expression show a strong correlation in 75.4% of the analyzed GC tissues. They are synergistically downregulated in 23.5% of analyzed GC tissues. In conclusion, ARID1A targets E-cadherin during the modulation of GC cell migration and invasion.
Sialylation of E-cadherin does not change the spontaneous or ET-18-OMe-mediated aggregation of MCF-7 human breast cancer cells.
Steelant, W F; Recchi, M A; Noë, V T; Boilly-Marer, Y; Bruyneel, E A; Verbert, A; Mareel, M M; Delannoy, P
We have investigated the role of sialylation on cell-cell adhesion mediated by E-cadherin. Two MCF-7 human breast cancer cell variants were studied: MCF-7/AZ cells showed a spontaneous cell-cell adhesion in the fast and slow aggregation assay. whereas the adhesion deficient MCF-7/6 cell variant failed to form larger aggregates, suggesting that E-cadherin was not functional under the conditions of both assays. We measured the sialyltransferase activities using Galbeta1-3GalNAcalpha-O-benzyl and Galbeta1-4GlcNAcalpha-O-benzyl as acceptor substrates as well as mRNA levels of four sialyltransferases, ST3Gal I, ST3Gal III, ST3Gal IV, ST6Gal I, using multiplex RT-PCR in MCF-7 cell variants. The alpha2-6 and alpha2-3 sialylation of E-cadherin was investigated by immuno-blot using Sambucus nigra agglutinin and Maackia amurensis agglutinin. Compared to the adhesion-proficient MCF-7/AZ cells, the adhesion-deficient MCF-7/6 cell line apparently lacks ST6Gal I mRNA, has a lower ST3Gal I mRNA, a lower ST3Gal I sialyltransferase activity, and no alpha2-3 linked sialic acid moieties on E-cadherin. The potential anti-cancer drug 1-O-octadecyl-2-O-methylglycero-3-phosphocholine (ET-18-OMe, 48 h, 25 microg/ml) belonging to the class of alkyllysophospholipids restored the E-cadherin function in the adhesion-deficient MCF-7/6 cells as evidenced by an increased aggregation. ET-18-OMe caused loss of ST6Gal I mRNA in MCF-7/AZ cells but no changes of sialyltransferase activities or sialic acid moieties on E-cadherin could be observed. We conclude that Ca2+-dependent, E-cadherin-specific homotypic adhesion of MCF-7/AZ or MCF-7/6 cells treated with ET-18-OMe was not affected by sialylation of E-cadherin.
Phosphatidylinositol 5-phosphate 4-kinase type II beta is required for vitamin D receptor-dependent E-cadherin expression in SW480 cells
Kouchi, Zen; Fujiwara, Yuki; Yamaguchi, Hideki; Nakamura, Yoshikazu; Fukami, Kiyoko
Highlights: {yields} We analyzed Phosphatidylinositol 5-phosphate kinase II{beta} (PIPKII{beta}) function in cancer. {yields} PIPKII{beta} is required for vitamin D receptor-mediated E-cadherin upregulation in SW480. {yields} PIPKII{beta} suppresses cellular motility through E-cadherin induction in SW480 cells. {yields} Nuclear PIP{sub 2} but not plasma membrane-localized PIP{sub 2} mediates E-cadherin upregulation. -- Abstract: Numerous epidemiological data indicate that vitamin D receptor (VDR) signaling induced by its ligand or active metabolite 1{alpha},25-dihydroxyvitamin D{sub 3} (1{alpha},25(OH){sub 2}D{sub 3}) has anti-cancer activity in several colon cancers. 1{alpha},25(OH){sub 2}D{sub 3} induces the epithelial differentiation of SW480 colon cancer cells expressing VDR (SW480-ADH) by upregulating E-cadherin expression; however, its precise mechanism remains unknown. We found that phosphatidylinositol-5-phosphate 4-kinase type II beta (PIPKII{beta}) but not PIPKII{alpha} is required for VDR-mediated E-cadherin induction in SW480-ADH cells. The syntenin-2 postsynaptic density protein/disc large/zona occludens (PDZ) domain and pleckstrin homology domain of phospholipase C-delta1 (PLC{delta}1 PHD) possess high affinity for phosphatidylinositol-4,5-bisphosphate (PI(4,5)P{sub 2}) mainly localized to the nucleus and plasma membrane, respectively. The expression of syntenin-2 PDZ but not PLC{delta}1 PHD inhibited 1{alpha},25(OH){sub 2}D{sub 3}-induced E-cadherin upregulation, suggesting that nuclear PI(4,5)P{sub 2} production mediates E-cadherin expression through PIPKII{beta} in a VDR-dependent manner. PIPKII{beta} is also involved in the suppression of the cell motility induced by 1{alpha},25(OH){sub 2}D{sub 3}. These results indicate that PIPKII{beta}-mediated PI(4,5)P{sub 2} signaling is important for E-cadherin upregulation and inhibition of cellular motility induced by VDR activation.
Maintenance and induction of murine embryonic stem cell differentiation using E-cadherin-Fc substrata without colony formation
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Meng, Qing-Yuan; Akaike, Toshihiro
Induced embryonic stem (ES) cells are expected to be promising cell resources for the observation of the cell behaviors in developmental biology as well as the implantation in cell treatments in human diseases. A recombinant E-cadherin substratum was developed as a cell recognizable substratum to maintain the ES cells' self-renewal and pluripotency at single cell level. Furthermore, the generation of various cell lineages in different germ layers, including hepatic or neural cells, was achieved on the chimeric protein layer precisely and effectively. The induction and isolation of specific cell population was carried out with the enhancing effect of other artificial extracellular matrices (ECMs) in enzyme-free process. The murine ES cell-derived cells showed highly morphological similarities and functional expressions to matured hepatocytes or neural progenitor cells.
Force via integrins but not E-cadherin decreases Oct3/4 expression in embryonic stem cells
Uda, Yuhei; Poh, Yeh-Chuin; Chowdhury, Farhan; Wu, Douglas C.; Tanaka, Tetsuya S.; Sato, Masaaki; Wang, Ning
Highlights: Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Force via integrins or cadherins induces similar cell stiffening responses. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Force via integrins but not cadherins induces cell spreading. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Force via integrins but not cadherins induces differentiation of embryonic stem cells. -- Abstract: Increasing evidence suggests that mechanical factors play a critical role in fate decisions of stem cells. Recently we have demonstrated that a local force applied via Arg-Gly-Asp (RGD) peptides coated magnetic beads to mouse embryonic stem (ES) cells increases cell spreading and cell stiffness and decreases Oct3/4 (Pou5f1) gene expression. However, it is not clear whether the effects of the applied stress on these functions of ES cells can be extended to natural extracellular matrix proteins or cell-cell adhesion molecules. Here we show that a local cyclic shear force applied via fibronectin or laminin to integrin receptors increased cell spreading and stiffness, downregulated Oct3/4 gene expression, and decreased cell proliferation rate. In contrast, the same cyclic force applied via cell-cell adhesion molecule E-cadherin (Cdh1) had no effects on cell spreading, Oct3/4 gene expression, and the self-renewal of mouse ES cells, but induced significant cell stiffening. Our findings demonstrate that biological responses of ES cells to force applied via integrins are different from those to force via E-cadherin, suggesting that mechanical forces might play different roles in different force transduction pathways to shape early embryogenesis.
Bmi-1 promotes the invasion and migration of colon cancer stem cells through the downregulation of E-cadherin.
Zhang, Zefeng; Bu, Xiaoling; Chen, Hao; Wang, Qiyi; Sha, Weihong
Metastasis and recurrence are the challenges of cancer therapy. Recently, mounting evidence has suggested that cancer stem cells (CSCs) and epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) are critical factors in tumor metastasis and recurrence. The oncogene, Bmi-1, promotes the development of hematologic malignancies and many solid tumors. The aim of the present study was to elucidate the mechanisms through which Bmi-1 promotes the invasion and migration of colon CSCs (CCSCs) using the HCT116 colon cancer cell line. Sphere formation medium and magnetic‑activated cell sorting were used to enrich and screen the CCSCs. CD133 and CD44 were regarded as markers of CCSCs and they were found to be co-expressed in the HCT116 colon cancer cell line. Colony formation assay, cell proliferation assay and viability assay using the Cell Counting Kit-8, and transplantation assay using nude mice injected with CCSCs were used to examine the CCSCs. The CD133+CD44+ HCT116 cells exhibited greater cloning efficiency, an enhanced proliferative ability, increased cell viability and stronger tumorigenicity; these cells were used as the CCSCs for subsequent experiments. In addition, the invasive and migratory abilities of the CD133+CD44+ HCT116 cells were markedly decreased when Bmi-1 was silenced by small interfering RNA (siRNA). The results of RT-qPCR and western blot analysis suggested that Bmi-1 had a negative effect on E-cadherin expression. On the whole, our findings suggest that Bmi-1 promotes the invasion and migration of CCSCs through the downregulation of E-cadherin, possibly by inducing EMT. Our findings thus indicate that Bmi-1 may be a novel therapeutic target for the treatment of colon cancer.
Soluble-E-cadherin activates HER and IAP family members in HER2+ and TNBC human breast cancers.
Brouxhon, Sabine M; Kyrkanides, Stephanos; Teng, Xiaofei; O'Banion, M Kerry; Clarke, Robert; Byers, Stephen; Ma, Li
Recent literature suggests that sEcad exerts pro-oncogenic effects, possibly acting as a ligand for the human epidermal growth factor family. Here we show that sEcad is a novel candidate protein for drug targeting since it is increased in human and mouse HER2-positive (HER2+) breast tumors, MMTV-PyMT bodily fluids and human cell culture systems. Mechanistically, we show that endogenous sEcad, and to a lesser extent membrane-bound E-cadherin, associates with HER1, HER2, and HER3 in human and MMTV-PyMT mouse HER2+ tumors and with HER1 in triple negative breast cancer (TNBC) specimens. Furthermore, addition of exogenous recombinant human E-cadherin/Fc chimeric protein (rhEcad/Fc; sEcad) to HER2+ MCF-7, SKBR3, and HER2-negative MDA-MB-231 TNBC cells, resulted in sEcad-HER receptor family interactions, activation of HER1-4 and downstream pro-survival signaling, including the MAPK-PI3K/Akt/mTOR pathways and IAP family members. Lastly, we demonstrate that sEcad exerts pro-oncogenic effects via HER signaling, and acts additively with the HER ligand EGF to promote HER2+ breast cancer proliferation and migration, as well as TNBC invasion. Because sEcad associates and activates many of the oncogenic pathways that tumors utilize for growth and survival and serum levels in patients correlates with clinical response, suggests that targeted therapy against sEcad in combination with other therapies may potentially offer a novel therapeutic strategy for the treatment of breast cancers.
Solid pseudopapillary tumor of the pancreas in a patient with cervical cancer: relation of E-cadherin/β-catenin adhesion complex in their carcinogenesis.
Vijay, Adarsh; Ram, Lakshmi; Mathew, Renol Koshy; Chawdhery, Muhammad Zafar
Solid pseudopapillary tumor (SPT) of the pancreas is one of the most uncommon histotypes of all exocrine pancreatic neoplasms. Disorganization of E-cadherin and β-catenin mutations, two key components of the Wnt signal transduction pathway, has been implicated in the development of SPT, but not other pancreatic tumors. Loss of E-cadherin/β-catenin proteins and tyrosine phosphorylation of E-cadherin/β-catenin have been postulated in cervical carcinogenesis and cancer invasion. A 38-year-old married woman, who had undergone brachytherapy, radiotherapy and chemotherapy for cervical cancer in Philippines in 2011, was admitted to our hospital after follow-up CT scan of abdomen in 2012 revealed a lesion in the tail of pancreas. The patient underwent distal pancreatectomy and splenectomy. The pathological diagnosis was SPT of pancreas. We suspect that the concurrent SPT pancreas and cervical cancer in this woman were triggered by a primary insult, a process in which E-cadherin/β-catenin/Wnt-signaling pathway played important roles.
CD133 expression correlates with membrane beta-catenin and E-cadherin loss from human hair follicle placodes during morphogenesis.
Gay, Denise L; Yang, Chao-Chun; Plikus, Maksim V; Ito, Mayumi; Rivera, Charlotte; Treffeisen, Elsa; Doherty, Laura; Spata, Michelle; Millar, Sarah E; Cotsarelis, George
Genetic studies suggest that the major events of human hair follicle development are similar to those in mice, but detailed analyses of this process are lacking. In mice, hair follicle placode "budding" is initiated by invagination of Wnt-induced epithelium into the underlying mesenchyme. Modification of adherens junctions (AJs) is clearly required for budding. Snail-mediated downregulation of AJ component E-cadherin is important for placode budding in mice. Beta-catenin, another AJ component, has been more difficult to study owing to its essential functions in Wnt signaling, a prerequisite for hair follicle placode induction. Here, we show that a subset of human invaginating hair placode cells expresses the stem cell marker CD133 during early morphogenesis. CD133 associates with membrane beta-catenin in early placodes, and its continued expression correlates with loss of beta-catenin and E-cadherin from the cell membrane at a time when E-cadherin transcriptional repressors Snail and Slug are not implicated. Stabilization of CD133 via anti-CD133 antibody treatment of human fetal scalp explants depresses beta-catenin and E-cadherin membrane localization. We discuss this unique correlation and suggest a hypothetical model whereby CD133 promotes morphogenesis in early hair follicle placodes through the localized removal of membrane beta-catenin proteins and subsequent AJ dissolution.
Soy isoflavone genistein upregulates epithelial adhesion molecule e-cadherin expression and attenuates beta-catenin signaling in mammary epithelial cells
Technology Transfer Automated Retrieval System (TEKTRAN)
Enhanced Wnt/beta -catenin signaling and loss of E-cadherin expression are considered hallmarks of mammary tumorigenesis. Mammary tumor protection by dietary intake of soy-rich foods and the soy isoflavone genistein (Gen) is widely regarded based on numerous epidemiological and animal studies; howev...
Cytokine-regulated neutrophil recruitment is required for brain but not spinal cord inflammation during EAE
Simmons, Sarah B.; Liggitt, Denny; Goverman, Joan M.
Multiple sclerosis (MS) is an autoimmune disease in which inflammatory lesions lead to tissue injury in the brain and/or spinal cord. The specific sites of tissue injury are strong determinants of clinical outcome in MS, but the pathways that determine whether damage occurs in the brain or spinal cord are not understood. Previous studies in mouse models of MS demonstrated that IFN-γ and IL-17 regulate lesion localization within the brain, however, the mechanisms by which these cytokines mediate their effects have not been identified. Here we show that IL-17 promoted, but IFN-γ inhibited, ELR+ chemokine-mediated neutrophil recruitment to the brain, and that neutrophil infiltration was required for parenchymal tissue damage in the brain. In contrast, IFN-γ promoted ELR+ chemokine expression and neutrophil recruitment to the spinal cord. Surprisingly, tissue injury in the spinal cord did not exhibit the same dependence on neutrophil recruitment that was observed for the brain. Our results demonstrate that the brain and spinal cord exhibit distinct sensitivities to cellular mediators of tissue damage, and that IL-17 and IFN-γ differentially regulate recruitment of these mediators to each microenvironment. These findings suggest an approach toward tailoring therapies for patients with distinct patterns of neuroinflammation. PMID:24913979
COX assembly factor ccdc56 regulates mitochondrial morphology by affecting mitochondrial recruitment of Drp1.
Ban-Ishihara, Reiko; Tomohiro-Takamiya, Shiho; Tani, Motohiro; Baudier, Jacques; Ishihara, Naotada; Kuge, Osamu
Mitochondria are dynamic organelles that alter their morphology in response to cellular signaling and differentiation through balanced fusion and fission. In this study, we found that the mitochondrial inner membrane ATPase ATAD3A interacted with ccdc56/MITRAC12/COA3, a subunit of the cytochrome oxidase (COX)-assembly complex. Overproduction of ccdc56 in HeLa cells resulted in fragmented mitochondrial morphology, while mitochondria were highly elongated in ccdc56-repressed cells by the defective recruitment of the fission factor Drp1. We also found that mild and chronic inhibition of COX led to mitochondrial elongation, as seen in ccdc56-repressed cells. These results indicate that ccdc56 positively regulates mitochondrial fission via regulation of COX activity and the mitochondrial recruitment of Drp1, and thus, suggest a novel relationship between COX assembly and mitochondrial morphology.
EGFR, p16INK4a and E-cadherin immuno-histochemistry and EGFR point mutations analyses in invasive cervical cancer specimens from Moroccan women.
El Hamdani, W; Amrani, M; Attaleb, M; Laantri, N; Ennaji, M M; Khyatti, M; El Mzibri, M
The involvement of human papillomavirus in the development of cervical cancer has been firmly established. However, better management of cervical cancer rests on good diagnosis and an effective therapy. In this study we evaluated the frequency of point mutations in epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) for future use of tyrosine kinase inhibitors in clinical treatment and to assess the use of EGFR, p16INK4a and E-cadherin as biomarkers in cervical cancer diagnosis with immunohistochemistry. Fifty-three patient specimens of cervical cancer were analysed for HPV infection, for EGFR mutations in exons 18 through 21, and for expression of EGFR, p16INK4a and E-cadherin by immunostaining. Results showed that 79.24% of the cases (42/53) are HPV positive and the HPV types more closely associated with risk are HPV 16 and 18. In all 53 analysed specimens, any mutation affecting the EGFR kinase domain in exons 18 through 21 was observed. Expressions of EGFR, p16INK4a and E-cadherin were detected in 88,67% (47/53), 92,45% (49/53) and 79,24% (42/53) of analysed specimens respectively. Thus, EGFR, p16INK4a and E-cadherin would be excellent tools for IHC analysis during the cervical cancer development. EGFR and p16INK4a can be used for early diagnosis and E-cadherin for cancer progression and cell migration. However, treatment of cervical cancer with TKIs may not be effective and the identification of other EGFR inhibitors is needed.
Epithelial-mesenchymal transition and nuclear β-catenin induced by conditional intestinal disruption of Cdh1 with Apc is E-cadherin EC1 domain dependent.
Matheson, Julia; Bühnemann, Claudia; Carter, Emma J; Barnes, David; Hoppe, Hans-Jürgen; Hughes, Jennifer; Cobbold, Stephen; Harper, James; Morreau, Hans; Surakhy, Mirvat; Hassan, A Bassim
Two important protein-protein interactions establish E-cadherin (Cdh1) in the adhesion complex; homophilic binding via the extra-cellular (EC1) domain and cytoplasmic tail binding to β-catenin. Here, we evaluate whether E-cadherin binding can inhibit β-catenin when there is loss of Adenomatous polyposis coli (APC) from the β-catenin destruction complex. Combined conditional loss of Cdh1 and Apc were generated in the intestine, intestinal adenoma and adenoma organoids. Combined intestinal disruption (Cdh1fl/flApcfl/flVil-CreERT2) resulted in lethality, breakdown of the intestinal barrier, increased Wnt target gene expression and increased nuclear β-catenin localization, suggesting that E-cadherin inhibits β-catenin. Combination with an intestinal stem cell Cre (Lgr5CreERT2) resulted in ApcΔ/Δ recombination and adenoma, but intact Cdh1fl/fl alleles. Cultured ApcΔ/ΔCdh1fl/fl adenoma cells infected with adenovirus-Cre induced Cdh1fl/fl recombination (Cdh1Δ/Δ), disruption of organoid morphology, nuclear β-catenin localization, and cells with an epithelial-mesenchymal phenotype. Complementation with adenovirus expressing wild-type Cdh1 (Cdh1-WT) rescued adhesion and β-catenin membrane localization, yet an EC1 specific double mutant defective in homophilic adhesion (Cdh1-MutW2A, S78W) did not. These data suggest that E-cadherin inhibits β-catenin in the context of disruption of the APC-destruction complex, and that this function is also EC1 domain dependent. Both binding functions of E-cadherin may be required for its tumour suppressor activity.
High expression of Zinc-finger protein X-linked is associated with reduced E-cadherin expression and unfavorable prognosis in nasopharyngeal carcinoma.
Li, Yin; Yan, Xuebing; Yan, Leilei; Shan, Zezhi; Liu, Sihong; Chen, Xiaojuan; Zou, Jianyin; Zhang, Weitian; Jin, Zhiming
Zinc-finger protein X-linked (ZFX), a novel transcription factor required for self-renewal of embryonic stem cells, has recently been implicated in the initiation and progression of various human malignancies. However, its clinical significance in cancer patients remains largely inconclusive and its role in nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) has never been reported. In this study, quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction, Western blot and Immunohistochemistry were performed to detect ZFX expression in NPC and normal nasopharyngeal tissues. As a result, we found ZFX expression was significantly elevated in NPC tissues compared with that in normal nasopharyngeal tissues. The statistical analysis based on immunohistochemical staining demonstrated that ZFX expression was significantly correlated with lymph node stage and clinical stage. Furthermore, we found NPC patients with high ZFX expression had lower 5-year overall survival rates, progression-free survival rates, loco-regional relapse-free survival rates and distant metastasis-free survival rates than those with low ZFX expression (all P<0.05). The multivariate analysis indicated that ZFX expression was an independent prognostic factor for patients with NPC. More importantly, we also detected E-cadherin expression in NPC tissues and found it was inversely correlated with ZFX expression in NPC tissues, suggesting a potential involvement of ZFX in Epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT). Therefore, it is speculated that ZFX may promote NPC progression partly by regulating EMT. In summary, our study not only for the first time identified that ZFX could serve as an effective prognostic biomarker for NPC patients, but also suggested that targeting ZFX might be a novel therapeutic strategy for preventing NPC progression and metastasis.
Inflammatory Monocyte Recruitment Is Regulated by Interleukin-23 during Systemic Bacterial Infection
Indramohan, Mohanalaxmi; Sieve, Amy N.; Break, Timothy J.
Listeria monocytogenes is a Gram-positive intracellular pathogen that causes meningitis and septicemia in immunocompromised individuals and spontaneous abortion in pregnant women. The innate immune response against L. monocytogenes is primarily mediated by neutrophils and monocytes. Interleukin-23 (IL-23) is an important proinflammatory cytokine well known for its role in neutrophil recruitment in various infectious and autoimmune diseases. We have previously shown that IL-23 is required for host resistance against L. monocytogenes and for neutrophil recruitment to the liver, but not the spleen, during infection. Despite efficient neutrophil recruitment to the spleen, IL-23p19 knockout (KO) mice have an increased bacterial burden in this organ, suggesting that IL-23 may regulate the recruitment/function of another cell type to the spleen. In this study, we show that specific depletion of neutrophils abrogated the differences in bacterial burdens in the livers but not the spleens of C57BL/6 (B6) and IL-23p19 KO mice. Interestingly, L. monocytogenes-infected IL-23p19 KO mice had fewer monocytes in the spleen than B6 mice, as well as a reduction in the monocyte-recruiting chemokines CCL2 and CCL7. Additionally, the overall concentrations of tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α) and nitric oxide (NO•), as well as the percentages and total numbers of monocytes producing TNF-α and NO•, were reduced in IL-23p19 KO mice compared to levels in B6 mice, leading to increased bacterial burdens in the spleens of L. monocytogenes-infected IL-23p19 KO mice. Collectively, our data establish that IL-23 is required for the optimal recruitment of TNF-α- and NO•-producing inflammatory monocytes, thus revealing a novel mechanism by which this proinflammatory cytokine provides protection against bacterial infection. PMID:22966045
Differential Regulation of Clathrin and Its Adaptor Proteins during Membrane Recruitment for Endocytosis1[OPEN
Wang, Chao; Hu, Tianwei; Yan, Xu; Meng, Tingting; Wang, Yutong; Wang, Qingmei; Zhang, Xiaoyue; Gu, Ying; Sánchez-Rodríguez, Clara; Gadeyne, Astrid; Lin, Jinxing
In plants, clathrin-mediated endocytosis (CME) is dependent on the function of clathrin and its accessory heterooligomeric adaptor protein complexes, ADAPTOR PROTEIN2 (AP-2) and the TPLATE complex (TPC), and is negatively regulated by the hormones auxin and salicylic acid (SA). The details for how clathrin and its adaptor complexes are recruited to the plasma membrane (PM) to regulate CME, however, are poorly understood. We found that SA and the pharmacological CME inhibitor tyrphostin A23 reduce the membrane association of clathrin and AP-2, but not that of the TPC, whereas auxin solely affected clathrin membrane association, in Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana). Genetic and pharmacological experiments revealed that loss of AP2μ or AP2σ partially affected the membrane association of other AP-2 subunits and that the AP-2 subunit AP2σ, but not AP2μ, was required for SA- and tyrphostin A23-dependent inhibition of CME. Furthermore, we show that although AP-2 and the TPC are both required for the PM recruitment of clathrin in wild-type cells, the TPC is necessary for clathrin PM association in AP-2-deficient cells. These results indicate that developmental signals may differentially modulate the membrane recruitment of clathrin and its core accessory complexes to regulate the process of CME in plant cells. PMID:26945051
Actin dynamics in the regulation of endothelial barrier functions and neutrophil recruitment during endotoxemia and sepsis.
Schnoor, Michael; García Ponce, Alexander; Vadillo, Eduardo; Pelayo, Rosana; Rossaint, Jan; Zarbock, Alexander
Sepsis is a leading cause of death worldwide. Increased vascular permeability is a major hallmark of sepsis. Dynamic alterations in actin fiber formation play an important role in the regulation of endothelial barrier functions and thus vascular permeability. Endothelial integrity requires a delicate balance between the formation of cortical actin filaments that maintain endothelial cell contact stability and the formation of actin stress fibers that generate pulling forces, and thus compromise endothelial cell contact stability. Current research has revealed multiple molecular pathways that regulate actin dynamics and endothelial barrier dysfunction during sepsis. These include intracellular signaling proteins of the small GTPases family (e.g., Rap1, RhoA and Rac1) as well as the molecules that are directly acting on the actomyosin cytoskeleton such as myosin light chain kinase and Rho kinases. Another hallmark of sepsis is an excessive recruitment of neutrophils that also involves changes in the actin cytoskeleton in both endothelial cells and neutrophils. This review focuses on the available evidence about molecules that control actin dynamics and regulate endothelial barrier functions and neutrophil recruitment. We also discuss treatment strategies using pharmaceutical enzyme inhibitors to target excessive vascular permeability and leukocyte recruitment in septic patients.
CTCF regulates NELF, DSIF and P-TEFb recruitment during transcription.
Laitem, Clélia; Zaborowska, Justyna; Tellier, Michael; Yamaguchi, Yuki; Cao, Qingfu; Egloff, Sylvain; Handa, Hiroshi; Murphy, Shona
CTCF is a versatile transcription factor with well-established roles in chromatin organization and insulator function. Recent findings also implicate CTCF in the control of elongation by RNA polymerase (RNAP) II. Here we show that CTCF knockdown abrogates RNAP II pausing at the early elongation checkpoint of c-myc by affecting recruitment of DRB-sensitivity-inducing factor (DSIF). CTCF knockdown also causes a termination defect on the U2 snRNA genes (U2), by affecting recruitment of negative elongation factor (NELF). In addition, CTCF is required for recruitment of positive elongation factor b (P-TEFb), which phosphorylates NELF, DSIF, and Ser2 of the RNAP II CTD to activate elongation of transcription of c-myc and recognition of the snRNA gene-specific 3' box RNA processing signal. These findings implicate CTCF in a complex network of protein:protein/protein:DNA interactions and assign a key role to CTCF in controlling RNAP II transcription through the elongation checkpoint of the protein-coding c-myc and the termination site of the non-coding U2, by regulating the recruitment and/or activity of key players in these processes.
Mechanically stimulated bone cells secrete paracrine factors that regulate osteoprogenitor recruitment, proliferation, and differentiation
Brady, Robert T.; O'Brien, Fergal J.; Hoey, David A.
Bone formation requires the recruitment, proliferation and osteogenic differentiation of mesenchymal progenitors. A potent stimulus driving this process is mechanical loading, yet the signalling mechanisms underpinning this are incompletely understood. The objective of this study was to investigate the role of the mechanically-stimulated osteocyte and osteoblast secretome in coordinating progenitor contributions to bone formation. Initially osteocytes (MLO-Y4) and osteoblasts (MC3T3) were mechanically stimulated for 24hrs and secreted factors within the conditioned media were collected and used to evaluate mesenchymal stem cell (MSC) and osteoblast recruitment, proliferation and osteogenesis. Paracrine factors secreted by mechanically stimulated osteocytes significantly enhanced MSC migration, proliferation and osteogenesis and furthermore significantly increased osteoblast migration and proliferation when compared to factors secreted by statically cultured osteocytes. Secondly, paracrine factors secreted by mechanically stimulated osteoblasts significantly enhanced MSC migration but surprisingly, in contrast to the osteocyte secretome, inhibited MSC proliferation when compared to factors secreted by statically cultured osteoblasts. A similar trend was observed in osteoblasts. This study provides new information on mechanically driven signalling mechanisms in bone and highlights a contrasting secretome between cells at different stages in the bone lineage, furthering our understanding of loading-induced bone formation and indirect biophysical regulation of osteoprogenitors. - Highlights: • Physically stimulated osteocytes secrete factors that regulate osteoprogenitors. • These factors enhance recruitment, proliferation and osteogenic differentiation. • Physically stimulated osteoblasts secrete factors that also regulate progenitors. • These factors enhance recruitment but inhibit proliferation of osteoprogenitors. • This study highlights a contrasting
Metastasis Suppressors Regulate the Tumor Microenvironment by Blocking Recruitment of Prometastatic Tumor-Associated Macrophages.
Frankenberger, Casey; Rabe, Daniel; Bainer, Russell; Sankarasharma, Devipriya; Chada, Kiran; Krausz, Thomas; Gilad, Yoav; Becker, Lev; Rosner, Marsha Rich
Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) patients have the highest risk of recurrence and metastasis. Because they cannot be treated with targeted therapies, and many do not respond to chemotherapy, they represent a clinically underserved group. TNBC is characterized by reduced expression of metastasis suppressors such as Raf kinase inhibitory protein (RKIP), which inhibits tumor invasiveness. Mechanisms by which metastasis suppressors alter tumor cells are well characterized; however, their ability to regulate the tumor microenvironment and the importance of such regulation to metastasis suppression are incompletely understood. Here, we use species-specific RNA sequencing to show that RKIP expression in tumors markedly reduces the number and metastatic potential of infiltrating tumor-associated macrophages (TAM). TAMs isolated from nonmetastatic RKIP(+) tumors, relative to metastatic RKIP(-) tumors, exhibit a reduced ability to drive tumor cell invasion and decreased secretion of prometastatic factors, including PRGN, and shed TNFR2. RKIP regulates TAM recruitment by blocking HMGA2, resulting in reduced expression of numerous macrophage chemotactic factors, including CCL5. CCL5 overexpression in RKIP(+) tumors restores recruitment of prometastatic TAMs and intravasation, whereas treatment with the CCL5 receptor antagonist Maraviroc reduces TAM infiltration. These results highlight the importance of RKIP as a regulator of TAM recruitment through chemokines such as CCL5. The clinical significance of these interactions is underscored by our demonstration that a signature comprised of RKIP signaling and prometastatic TAM factors strikingly separates TNBC patients based on survival outcome. Collectively, our findings identify TAMs as a previously unsuspected mechanism by which the metastasis-suppressor RKIP regulates tumor invasiveness, and further suggest that TNBC patients with decreased RKIP activity and increased TAM infiltration may respond to macrophage
Soluble factors regulated by epithelial-mesenchymal transition mediate tumour angiogenesis and myeloid cell recruitment.
Suarez-Carmona, Meggy; Bourcy, Morgane; Lesage, Julien; Leroi, Natacha; Syne, Laïdya; Blacher, Silvia; Hubert, Pascale; Erpicum, Charlotte; Foidart, Jean-Michel; Delvenne, Philippe; Birembaut, Philippe; Noël, Agnès; Polette, Myriam; Gilles, Christine
Epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) programmes provide cancer cells with invasive and survival capacities that might favour metastatic dissemination. Whilst signalling cascades triggering EMT have been extensively studied, the impact of EMT on the crosstalk between tumour cells and the tumour microenvironment remains elusive. We aimed to identify EMT-regulated soluble factors that facilitate the recruitment of host cells in the tumour. Our findings indicate that EMT phenotypes relate to the induction of a panel of secreted mediators, namely IL-8, IL-6, sICAM-1, PAI-1 and GM-CSF, and implicate the EMT-transcription factor Snail as a regulator of this process. We further show that EMT-derived soluble factors are pro-angiogenic in vivo (in the mouse ear sponge assay), ex vivo (in the rat aortic ring assay) and in vitro (in a chemotaxis assay). Additionally, conditioned medium from EMT-positive cells stimulates the recruitment of myeloid cells. In a bank of 40 triple-negative breast cancers, tumours presenting features of EMT were significantly more angiogenic and infiltrated by a higher quantity of myeloid cells compared to tumours with little or no EMT. Taken together, our results show that EMT programmes trigger the expression of soluble mediators in cancer cells that stimulate angiogenesis and recruit myeloid cells in vivo, which might in turn favour cancer spread.
Tail and Kinase Modules Differently Regulate Core Mediator Recruitment and Function In Vivo.
Jeronimo, Célia; Langelier, Marie-France; Bataille, Alain R; Pascal, John M; Pugh, B Franklin; Robert, François
Mediator is a highly conserved transcriptional coactivator organized into four modules, namely Tail, Middle, Head, and Kinase (CKM). Previous work suggests regulatory roles for Tail and CKM, but an integrated model for these activities is lacking. Here, we analyzed the genome-wide distribution of Mediator subunits in wild-type and mutant yeast cells in which RNA polymerase II promoter escape is blocked, allowing detection of transient Mediator forms. We found that although all modules are recruited to upstream activated regions (UAS), assembly of Mediator within the pre-initiation complex is accompanied by the release of CKM. Interestingly, our data show that CKM regulates Mediator-UAS interaction rather than Mediator-promoter association. In addition, although Tail is required for Mediator recruitment to UAS, Tailless Mediator nevertheless interacts with core promoters. Collectively, our data suggest that the essential function of Mediator is mediated by Head and Middle at core promoters, while Tail and CKM play regulatory roles.
Downregulated microRNA-200a promotes EMT and tumor growth through the wnt/β-catenin pathway by targeting the E-cadherin repressors ZEB1/ZEB2 in gastric adenocarcinoma.
Cong, Ningning; Du, Ping; Zhang, Anling; Shen, Fajuan; Su, Juan; Pu, Peiyu; Wang, Tao; Zjang, Jie; Kang, Chunsheng; Zhang, Qingyu
In a previous study, we found that microRNA (miRNA)-200a suppresses Wnt/β-catenin signaling by interacting with β-catenin, thereby inhibiting migration, invasion and proliferation. However, the mechanism involved in this suppression remains unclear. In the present study, we investigated the underlying mechanism of miR-200a regulation of epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) in gastric carcinoma cells, and confirmed the tumor suppressor role of miR-200a in vivo. The expressions of miRNA-200a, -200b and -200c, identified by fluorescent in situ hybridization, were downregulated and inversely correlated with WHO grades of gastric adenocarcinoma (GA). The expression of the potential miR-200a target genes ZEB1 and ZEB2 was detected immunohistochemically. These examinations used the same tissue microarrays to analyze the relationships between miR-200a and potential target genes. The expression of miR-200a and ZEB1/ZEB2 in the same GA tissue microarrays was inversely related. Restored miR-200a expression inhibited tumor growth in nude mice harboring subcutaneous SGC7901 xenografts. The expression of N-cadherin, β-catenin, Twist1 and Snail2 decreased, and E-cadherin levels increased, when miR-200a was elevated, as tested by fluorescence microscopy and immunohistochemistry. Similar results were observed in vivo. We found upregulated miR-200a expression to increase E-cadherin and suppress the Wnt/β-catenin pathway by targeting ZEB1 and ZEB2 in GA, thus delaying tumor growth in vivo. The effect of miR-200a on Wnt/β-catenin signaling may provide a therapeutic target against EMT.
Downregulation of E-cadherin expression in breast cancer by promoter hypermethylation and its relation with progression and prognosis of tumor.
Shargh, Shohreh Alizadeh; Sakizli, Meral; Khalaj, Vahid; Movafagh, Abolfazl; Yazdi, Hamidreza; Hagigatjou, Elmira; Sayad, Aresou; Mansouri, Neda; Mortazavi-Tabatabaei, Seyed Abdolreza; Khorram Khorshid, Hamid Reza
Breast cancer is the most common cancer in women around the world, and novel prognosis strategies is needed to control more accurate and effective of this malignant disease. Among the latest prognostic markers is E-cadherin, which mediates cell-cell adhesion by associating with catenins. Loss of E-cadherin gene (CDH1) function by genetic or epigenetic alteration leads to tumorigenesis. The aim of our study was to investigate E-cadherin gene promoter methylation in breast cancer, and its correlation with E-cadherin protein expression. Fifty primary breast cancers tissue with ductal type and 50 normal breast sample from the same patients that was located adjacent to tumor region as controls were provided by Imam Reza-based referral and teaching hospital affiliated to Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran. CDH1 promoter region CpG sites methylation and E-cadherin protein expression were determined by bisulfite-specific polymerase chain reaction and Western blot analysis, and the resulting products were sequenced on an ABI automated sequencer for firm conclusion. CDH1 hypermethylation in breast tumor specimen (ductal type) was observed in 94 % (47 of 50) comparing with normal samples methylation, and the significant difference was (p = 0.000). Protein expression in tumor samples tends to diminish with the CDH1 promoter region methylation. In the group of 50 ductal carcinomas cases, most of the cases showing CDH1 hypermethylation correlated inversely with the reduced levels of expression of E-cadherin proteins (95 % of full-methylated tumor samples had no protein expression, and 4.5 % of them had weak expression levels). Possible association was observed between CDH1 methylation and its protein expression (p = 0.000). The results of methylation analysis in promoter region in ten CpG sites (863, 865, 873, 879, 887, 892, 901, 918, 920, and 940) suggested that abnormal CDH1 methylation occurs in high frequencies in ductal breast tumors probably sounds the
Defects in the adherens junction complex (E-cadherin/ β-catenin) in inflammatory bowel disease.
Mehta, Shameer; Nijhuis, Anke; Kumagai, Tomoko; Lindsay, James; Silver, Andrew
The epithelial monolayer of the intestine is a selective barrier permitting nutrient and electrolyte absorption yet acting to protect the underlying tissue compartments and cellular components from attack and infiltration by antigens, bacteria and bacterial products present in the lumen. Disruption of this barrier has been associated with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). The adherens junction (AJ), together with tight junctions (TJ) and desmosomes, form an apical junction complex that controls epithelial cell-to-cell adherence and barrier function as well as regulation of the actin cytoskeleton, intracellular signalling pathways and transcriptional regulation. Numerous studies and reviews highlight the responses of TJs to physiological and pathological stimuli. By comparison, the response of AJ proteins, and the subsequent consequences for barrier function, when exposed to the IBD inflammatory milieu, is less well studied. In this review, we will highlight the roles and responses of the AJ proteins in IBD and provide suggestions for future studies. We will also consider recently proposed therapeutic strategies to preserve or restore epithelial barrier functions to prevent and treat IBD.
Pharmacoproteomic analysis reveals that metapristone (RU486 metabolite) intervenes E-cadherin and vimentin to realize cancer metastasis chemoprevention
Yu, Suhong; Yan, Cuicui; Yang, Xingtian; He, Sudang; Liu, Jian; Qin, Chongtao; Huang, Chuanzhong; Lu, Yusheng; Tian, Zhongping; Jia, Lee
Metapristone is the most predominant biological active metabolite of mifepristone, and being developed as a novel cancer metastasis chemopreventive agent by us. Despite its prominent metastasis chemopreventive effect, the underlying mechanism remains elusive. Our study, for the first time, demonstrated that metapristone had the ability to prevent breast cancer cells from migration, invasion, and interfere with their adhesion to endothelial cells. To explore the underlying mechanism of metapristone, we employed the iTRAQ technique to assess the effect of metapristone on MDA-MB-231 cells. In total, 5,145 proteins were identified, of which, 311 proteins showed significant differences in metapristone-treated cells compared to the control group (P-value < 0.05). Bioinformatic analysis showed many differentially expressed proteins (DEPs) functionally associated with post-translational modification, chaperones, translation, transcription, replication, signal transduction, etc. Importantly, many of the DEPs, such as E-cadherin, vimentin, TGF-β receptor I/II, smad2/3, β-catenin, caveolin, and dystroglycan were associated with TGF-β and Wnt signaling pathways, which were also linked to epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) process. Further validation of the epithelial marker "E-caderin" and mesenchymal marker "vimetin" were carried out using immunoblot and immunofluorescence. These results have revealed a novel mechanism that metapristone-mediated metastasis chemoprevention is through intervening the EMT-related signaling pathways. PMID:26932781
Improving the Stability of the EC1 Domain of E-cadherin by Thiol Alkylation of the Cysteine Residue
Trivedi, Maulik; Laurence, Jennifer S.; Williams, Todd D.; Middaugh, C. Russell; Siahaan, Teruna J.
The objective of this work was to improve chemical and physical stability of the EC1 protein derived from the extracellular domain of E-cadherin. In solution, the EC1 protein has been shown to form a covalent dimer via a disulfide bond formation followed by physical aggregation and precipitation. To improve solution stability of the EC1 protein, the thiol group of the Cys13 residue in EC1 was alkylated with iodoacetate, iodoacetamide, and maleimide-PEG-5000 to produce thioether derivatives called EC1-IA, EC1-IN, and EC1-PEG. The physical and chemical stabilities of the EC1 derivatives and the parent EC1 were evaluated at various pHs (3.0, 7.0, and 9.0) and temperatures (0, 3, 70 °C). The structural characteristics of each molecule were analyzed by circular dichroism (CD) and fluorescence spectroscopy and the derivatives have similar secondary structure as the parent EC1 protein at pH 7.0. Both EC1-IN and EC1-PEG derivatives showed better chemical and physical stability profiles than did the parent EC1 at pH 7.0. EC1-PEG had the best stability profile compared to EC1-IN and EC1 in solution under various conditions. PMID:22531851
Pharmacoproteomic analysis reveals that metapristone (RU486 metabolite) intervenes E-cadherin and vimentin to realize cancer metastasis chemoprevention.
Yu, Suhong; Yan, Cuicui; Yang, Xingtian; He, Sudang; Liu, Jian; Qin, Chongtao; Huang, Chuanzhong; Lu, Yusheng; Tian, Zhongping; Jia, Lee
Metapristone is the most predominant biological active metabolite of mifepristone, and being developed as a novel cancer metastasis chemopreventive agent by us. Despite its prominent metastasis chemopreventive effect, the underlying mechanism remains elusive. Our study, for the first time, demonstrated that metapristone had the ability to prevent breast cancer cells from migration, invasion, and interfere with their adhesion to endothelial cells. To explore the underlying mechanism of metapristone, we employed the iTRAQ technique to assess the effect of metapristone on MDA-MB-231 cells. In total, 5,145 proteins were identified, of which, 311 proteins showed significant differences in metapristone-treated cells compared to the control group (P-value < 0.05). Bioinformatic analysis showed many differentially expressed proteins (DEPs) functionally associated with post-translational modification, chaperones, translation, transcription, replication, signal transduction, etc. Importantly, many of the DEPs, such as E-cadherin, vimentin, TGF-β receptor I/II, smad2/3, β-catenin, caveolin, and dystroglycan were associated with TGF-β and Wnt signaling pathways, which were also linked to epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) process. Further validation of the epithelial marker "E-caderin" and mesenchymal marker "vimetin" were carried out using immunoblot and immunofluorescence. These results have revealed a novel mechanism that metapristone-mediated metastasis chemoprevention is through intervening the EMT-related signaling pathways.
Repulsion by Slit and Roundabout prevents Shotgun/E-cadherin-mediated cell adhesion during Drosophila heart tube lumen formation.
Santiago-Martínez, Edgardo; Soplop, Nadine H; Patel, Rajesh; Kramer, Sunita G
During Drosophila melanogaster heart development, a lumen forms between apical surfaces of contralateral cardioblasts (CBs). We show that Slit and its receptor Roundabout (Robo) are required at CB apical domains for lumen formation. Mislocalization of Slit outside the apical domain causes ectopic lumen formation and the mislocalization of cell junction proteins, E-cadherin (E-Cad) and Enabled, without disrupting overall CB cell polarity. Ectopic lumen formation is suppressed in robo mutants, which indicates robo's requirement for this process. Genetic evidence suggests that Robo and Shotgun (Shg)/E-Cad function together in modulating CB adhesion. robo and shg/E-Cad transheterozygotes have lumen defects. In robo loss-of-function or shg/E-Cad gain-of-function embryos, lumen formation is blocked because of inappropriate CB adhesion and an accumulation of E-Cad at the apical membrane. In contrast, shg/E-Cad loss-of-function or robo gain-of-function blocks lumen formation due to a loss of CB adhesion. Our data show that Slit and Robo pathways function in lumen formation as a repulsive signal to antagonize E-Cad-mediated cell adhesion.
DCN deficiency promotes renal cell carcinoma growth and metastasis through downregulation of P21 and E-cadherin.
Xu, Yongcan; Xia, Qiuyuan; Rao, Qiu; Shi, Shanshan; Shi, Qunli; Ma, Henghui; Lu, Zhenfeng; Chen, Hui; Zhou, Xiaojun
Decorin (DCN), as an important component of the extracellular matrix (ECM), is a small leucine-rich proteoglycan and synthesized by fibroblasts. Although DCN is dysregulated in numerous cancer types, limited data are available on the expression level and important role of DCN proteins in renal cell carcinoma (RCC). In our study, we examined the expression patterns of DCN messenger RNA (mRNA) in RCCs through the Oncomine database and DCN protein in 94 RCC specimens by immunohistochemistry (IHC). The results revealed that DCN expression was decreased in cancerous tissues compared to adjacent noncancerous tissues and was highly correlated to tumor size. Then, via gain-of-function analyses, DCN overexpression could inhibit RCC cell proliferation and metastasis in vitro and vivo. At the mechanism level, we found that an ectopic expression of DCN significantly upregulated P21 and E-cadherin expression. Altogether, these results revealed that DCN is a tumor suppressor in RCC, and it could serve as a potential therapeutic target in patients with RCC.
The -160C>a polymorphism in E-cadherin is associated with the risk of nephrolithiasis.
Tan, Mingyue; Xia, Shengqiang; Zhang, Qi; Zhu, Jiang; Bao, Erdun
Nephrolithiasis is a common disorder worldwide. E-cadherin (CDH1) is involved in epithelial cell-cell interactions and plays important roles in the etiology of nephrolithiasis. We hypothesized that variants in the CDH1 gene are associated with risk of nephrolithiasis. In a hospital-based case-control study of 127 nephrolithiasis patients and 152 controls frequency matched by age and sex, we genotyped the functional -160C>A (rs16260) polymorphism and assessed its associations with risk of nephrolithiasis in a Chinese population. We found that the CA/AA genotypes were associated with a significantly decreased risk of nephrolithiasis (OR = 0.53, 95%CI = 0.32-0.87), compared with the CC genotype, particularly among subgroups of BMI > 24 kg/m(2) (OR = 0.38, 95%CI = 0.17-0.85), age ≤ 57 years (OR = 0.47, 95%CI = 0.24-0.93), and men (OR = 0.56, 95%CI = 0.29-0.99). Our results suggest that the CDH1 polymorphism is involved in the etiology of nephrolithiasis and thus may be a marker for genetic susceptibility to nephrolithiasis.
Adr1 and Cat8 Mediate Coactivator Recruitment and Chromatin Remodeling at Glucose-Regulated Genes
Biddick, Rhiannon K.; Law, G. Lynn; Young, Elton T.
Background Adr1 and Cat8 co-regulate numerous glucose-repressed genes in S. cerevisiae, presenting a unique opportunity to explore their individual roles in coactivator recruitment, chromatin remodeling, and transcription. Methodology/Principal Findings We determined the individual contributions of Cat8 and Adr1 on the expression of a cohort of glucose-repressed genes and found three broad categories: genes that need both activators for full derepression, genes that rely mostly on Cat8 and genes that require only Adr1. Through combined expression and recruitment data, along with analysis of chromatin remodeling at two of these genes, ADH2 and FBP1, we clarified how these activators achieve this wide range of co-regulation. We find that Adr1 and Cat8 are not intrinsically different in their abilities to recruit coactivators but rather, promoter context appears to dictate which activator is responsible for recruitment to specific genes. These promoter-specific contributions are also apparent in the chromatin remodeling that accompanies derepression: ADH2 requires both Adr1 and Cat8, whereas, at FBP1, significant remodeling occurs with Cat8 alone. Although over-expression of Adr1 can compensate for loss of Cat8 at many genes in terms of both activation and chromatin remodeling, this over-expression cannot complement all of the cat8Δ phenotypes. Conclusions/Significance Thus, at many of the glucose-repressed genes, Cat8 and Adr1 appear to have interchangeable roles and promoter architecture may dictate the roles of these activators. PMID:18197247
Bone morphogenic protein signalling suppresses differentiation of pluripotent cells by maintaining expression of E-Cadherin.
Malaguti, Mattias; Nistor, Paul A; Blin, Guillaume; Pegg, Amy; Zhou, Xinzhi; Lowell, Sally
Bone morphogenic protein (BMP) signalling contributes towards maintenance of pluripotency and favours mesodermal over neural fates upon differentiation, but the mechanisms by which BMP controls differentiation are not well understood. We report that BMP regulates differentiation by blocking downregulation of Cdh1, an event that accompanies the earliest stages of neural and mesodermal differentiation. We find that loss of Cdh1 is a limiting requirement for differentiation of pluripotent cells, and that experimental suppression of Cdh1 activity rescues the BMP-imposed block to differentiation. We further show that BMP acts prior to and independently of Cdh1 to prime pluripotent cells for mesoderm differentiation, thus helping to reinforce the block to neural differentiation. We conclude that differentiation depends not only on exposure to appropriate extrinsic cues but also on morphogenetic events that control receptivity to those differentiation cues, and we explain how a key pluripotency signal, BMP, feeds into this control mechanism. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.7554/eLife.01197.001.
Bone morphogenic protein signalling suppresses differentiation of pluripotent cells by maintaining expression of E-Cadherin
Malaguti, Mattias; Nistor, Paul A; Blin, Guillaume; Pegg, Amy; Zhou, Xinzhi; Lowell, Sally
Bone morphogenic protein (BMP) signalling contributes towards maintenance of pluripotency and favours mesodermal over neural fates upon differentiation, but the mechanisms by which BMP controls differentiation are not well understood. We report that BMP regulates differentiation by blocking downregulation of Cdh1, an event that accompanies the earliest stages of neural and mesodermal differentiation. We find that loss of Cdh1 is a limiting requirement for differentiation of pluripotent cells, and that experimental suppression of Cdh1 activity rescues the BMP-imposed block to differentiation. We further show that BMP acts prior to and independently of Cdh1 to prime pluripotent cells for mesoderm differentiation, thus helping to reinforce the block to neural differentiation. We conclude that differentiation depends not only on exposure to appropriate extrinsic cues but also on morphogenetic events that control receptivity to those differentiation cues, and we explain how a key pluripotency signal, BMP, feeds into this control mechanism. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.7554/eLife.01197.001 PMID:24347544
Recovery of cellular E-cadherin precedes replenishment of estrogen receptor and estrogen-dependent proliferation of breast cancer cells rescued from a death stimulus.
Malaguti, Claudia; Rossini, Gian Paolo
Loss of estrogen-responsiveness and impaired E-cadherin expression/function has been linked to increased metastatic potential of breast cancer cells. In this study, we report that proliferation of breast cancer cells can resume following removal of a toxic stimulus causing severe impairment of cell adhesion and estrogen responsiveness. This type of response was induced by okadaic acid (OA) in MCF-7 cells, and was accompanied by an almost complete block of DNA synthesis, loss of cell-cell contact and cell detachment from culture dishes, loss of estrogen receptor (ER), progesterone receptor (PR) and E-cadherin, whereas only a weak, if any, inhibition of protein synthesis could be observed. These responses were detected in MCF-7 cells after a 1-day treatment with 50 nM OA, and could be reversed if OA-treated cells were recovered in a culture medium devoid of the toxin, so that rescued cells resumed growth 8-12 days after replating. By pulse-chase experiments, we found that protein synthesis was not significantly affected in rescued cells, whose DNA synthesis, instead, was almost completely blocked during the first days of MCF-7 cell rescue from OA treatment. We also analyzed E-cadherin, mitogen activated protein kinase isoforms ERK1 and ERK2, Bcl-2 and BAX proteins during the rescue of MCF-7 cells from OA-induced cell death, and found that their expression followed temporally defined patterns. Cellular levels of E-cadherin returned to control levels within the first days of the rescue, followed by ER, ERK1, and ERK2, and finally by Bcl-2 and BAX proteins. Under our experimental conditions, restoration of cell adhesion did not require a functional ER system, but recovery of a normal ER pool accompanied resumption of estrogen-dependent proliferation of OA-treated MCF-7 cells.
Insulin-like growth factor I activates the invasion suppressor function of E-cadherin in MCF-7 human mammary carcinoma cells in vitro.
Bracke, M. E.; Vyncke, B. M.; Bruyneel, E. A.; Vermeulen, S. J.; De Bruyne, G. K.; Van Larebeke, N. A.; Vleminckx, K.; Van Roy, F. M.; Mareel, M. M.
The calcium-dependent cell-cell adhesion molecule E-cadherin has been shown to counteract invasion of epithelial neoplastic cells. Using three monoclonal antibodies, we have demonstrated the presence of E-cadherin at the surface of human MCF-7/6 mammary carcinoma cells by indirect immunofluorescence coupled to flow cytometry and by immunocytochemistry. Nevertheless, MCF-7/6 cells failed to aggregate in a medium containing 1.25 mM CaCl2, and they were invasive after confrontation with embryonic chick heart fragments in organ culture. Treatment of MCF-7/6 cells with 0.5 microgram ml-1 insulin-like growth factor I (IGF-I) led to homotypic aggregation within 5 to 10 min and inhibited invasion in vitro during at least 8 days. The effect of IGF-I on cellular aggregation was insensitive to cycloheximide. However, monoclonal antibodies that interfered with the function of either the IGF-I receptor (alpha IR3) or E-cadherin (HECD-1, MB2) blocked the effect of IGF-I on aggregation. The effects of IGF-I on aggregation and on invasion could be mimicked by 1 microgram ml-1 insulin, but not by 0.5 microgram ml-1 IGF-II. The insulin effects were presumably not mediated by the IGF-I receptor, since they could not be blocked by an antibody against this receptor (alpha IR3). Our results indicate that IGF-I activates the invasion suppressor role of E-cadherin in MCF-7/6 cells. Images Figure 1 Figure 3 Figure 4 Figure 7 Figure 8 Figure 10 PMID:8347483
High expression and prognostic role of CAP1 and CtBP2 in breast carcinoma: associated with E-cadherin and cell proliferation.
Liu, Xiancheng; Yao, Ninghua; Qian, Jing; Huang, Huiwei
Overexpression of C-terminal binding protein-2 (CtBP2) has been noted to correlate with cancer metastasis in several human cancers including breast cancer. The aim of this study was to examine the effect of cyclase-associated protein 1 (CAP1) overexpression on CtBP2 expression and related mechanism in the metastasis of breast cancer. Immunohistochemical analysis was performed in 100 human breast carcinoma samples, and the data were correlated with clinicopathologic features. Furthermore, Western blot analysis was performed for CAP1 and CtBP2 in breast carcinoma samples and cell lines to evaluate their protein levels and molecular interaction. We found that the expression of CAP1 was positively related to CtBP2 expression (P<0.01); moreover, CAP1 expression was significantly correlated with histologic grade (P<0.01) and negatively related to E-cadherin expression (P<0.01). Meanwhile, CtBP2 expression obtained similar results. Kaplan-Meier survival analysis showed that overexpression of CAP1 and CtBP2 exhibited a significant correlation with poor prognosis in human breast cancer (P<0.01). While in vitro, we employed siRNA technique to knockdown CAP1 and CtBP2 expressions and observed their effects on MDA-MB-231 cells growth. CtBP2 depletion by siRNA-inhibited cell proliferation, resulted in increased E-cadherin levels. Moreover, knockdown of CAP1 resulted in decreased CtBP2 and increased E-cadherin expression. On the basis of these results, we suggested that CAP1's oncogenic abilities appear to be triggered at least in part by the modulation of CtBP2 and E-cadherin, which might serve as a future target for breast cancer.
Crystal Structure of Human E-Cadherin-EC1EC2 in Complex with a Peptidomimetic Competitive Inhibitor of Cadherin Homophilic Interaction.
Nardone, Valentina; Lucarelli, Anna Paola; Dalle Vedove, Andrea; Fanelli, Roberto; Tomassetti, Antonella; Belvisi, Laura; Civera, Monica; Parisini, Emilio
Cadherins are transmembrane cell adhesion proteins whose aberrant expression often correlates with cancer development and proliferation. We report the crystal structure of an E-cadherin extracellular fragment in complex with a peptidomimetic compound that was previously shown to partially inhibit cadherin homophilic adhesion. The structure reveals an unexpected binding mode and allows the identification of a druggable cadherin interface, thus paving the way to a future structure-guided design of cell adhesion inhibitors against cadherin-expressing solid tumors.
High expression of SALL4 and fascin, and loss of E-cadherin expression in undifferentiated/dedifferentiated carcinomas of the endometrium
Onder, Semen; Taskin, Orhun Cig; Sen, Fatma; Topuz, Samet; Kucucuk, Seden; Sozen, Hamdullah; Ilhan, Ridvan; Tuzlali, Sitki; Yavuz, Ekrem
Abstract Undifferentiated/dedifferentiated endometrial carcinomas (UCE/DCEs) of the endometrium are rare tumors with poor prognosis. There are few clinicopathologic studies with detailed immunohistochemical analysis regarding UCE/DCEs. We evaluated the diagnostic value of a selected tumor stem-cell marker and epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) markers, in addition to previously studied markers in identifying UCE/DCEs from other types of high-grade endometrial carcinomas. Eleven cases of UCE/DCEs with complete clinical follow-up that were diagnosed between 2006 and 2015 were included in the study. For immunohistochemical comparison, 11 clinically matched cases for each type of other high-grade endometrial carcinomas (high-grade endometrioid (F3-EC), serous [SC], and clear cell carcinoma [CCC]) were used as a control group. An immunohistochemical analysis including fascin, SALL4, E-cadherin, and β-catenin, in addition to epithelial and neuroendocrine markers was performed in each case. The majority of UCE/DCEs displayed diffuse expression of fascin (81.9%) and loss of E-cadherin expression (54.5%). SALL4 expression was detected in 36.3% of the UCE/DCE cases. SALL4 expression was significantly more frequent in UCE/DCEs than all other high-grade carcinomas (P < 0.001). Loss of E-cadherin and fascin expression was significantly more frequent in UCE/DCEs than high-grade endometrioid and clear cell adenocarcinomas (P = 0.012, 0.014 and P = 0.01, 0.003, respectively). We suggest that loss of E-cadherin expression together with fascin and SALL4 immunopositivity in addition to morphologic features have an impact in differential diagnosis of UCE/DCEs from other high-grade endometrial carcinomas. PMID:28272224
Melanocyte migration is influenced by E-cadherin-dependent adhesion of keratinocytes in both two- and three-dimensional in vitro wound models.
Keswell, Dheshnie; Kidson, Susan H; Davids, Lester M
During wound healing, melanocytes are required to migrate into the wounded area that is still in the process of re-construction. The role and behaviour of melanocytes during this process is poorly understood, that is, whether melanocyte migration into the wound is keratinocyte-dependent or not. This paper attempts, through the use of both two- and three-dimensional in vitro models, to understand the role and behaviour of melanocytes during the process of wound healing. In addition, it sheds light on whether keratinocytes influence/contribute toward melanocyte migration and ultimately wound healing. Scratch assays were performed to analyse migration and Western blot analyses measured cellular E-cadherin expression. Immunohistochemistry was used to analyse the in vivo 3D wound healing effect. Scratch assays performed on co-cultures of melanocytes and keratinocytes demonstrated that melanocytes actively migrated, with the use of their dendrites, into the scratch ahead of the proliferating keratinocyte sheet. Migration of the melanocyte into the wound bed was accompanied by loss of attachment to keratinocytes at the wound front with concomitant downregulation of E-cadherin expression as observed through immunocytochemistry. This result suggests that, in vitro, melanocyte migration occurs independently of keratinocytes but that the migration is influenced by keratinocyte E-cadherin expression. We now demonstrate that melanocyte migration during re-pigmentation is an active process, and suggest that targeting of mechanisms involved in active melanocyte migration (e.g. the melanocyte dendrite) may enhance the re-pigmentation process.
A complex of α6 integrin and E-cadherin drives liver metastasis of colorectal cancer cells through hepatic angiopoietin-like 6
Marchiò, Serena; Soster, Marco; Cardaci, Sabrina; Muratore, Andrea; Bartolini, Alice; Barone, Vanessa; Ribero, Dario; Monti, Maria; Bovino, Paola; Sun, Jessica; Giavazzi, Raffaella; Asioli, Sofia; Cassoni, Paola; Capussotti, Lorenzo; Pucci, Piero; Bugatti, Antonella; Rusnati, Marco; Pasqualini, Renata; Arap, Wadih; Bussolino, Federico
Homing of colorectal cancer (CRC) cells to the liver is a non-random process driven by a crosstalk between tumour cells and components of the host tissue. Here we report the isolation of a liver metastasis-specific peptide ligand (CGIYRLRSC) that binds a complex of E-cadherin and α6 integrin on the surface of CRC cells. We identify angiopoietin-like 6 protein as a peptide-mimicked natural ligand enriched in hepatic blood vessels of CRC patients. We demonstrate that an interaction between hepatic angiopoietin-like 6 and tumoural α6 integrin/E-cadherin drives liver homing and colonization by CRC cells, and that CGIYRLRSC inhibits liver metastasis through interference with this ligand/receptor system. Our results indicate a mechanism for metastasis whereby a soluble factor accumulated in normal vessels functions as a specific ligand for circulating cancer cells. Consistently, we show that high amounts of coexpressed α6 integrin and E-cadherin in primary tumours represent a poor prognostic factor for patients with advanced CRC. PMID:23070965
N- and E-cadherins in Xenopus are specifically required in the neural and non-neural ectoderm, respectively, for F-actin assembly and morphogenetic movements
Nandadasa, Sumeda; Tao, Qinghua; Menon, Nikhil R.; Heasman, Janet; Wylie, Christopher
Summary Transmembrane cadherins are calcium-dependent intercellular adhesion molecules. Recently, they have also been shown to be sites of actin assembly during adhesive contact formation. However, the roles of actin assembly on transmembrane cadherins during development are not fully understood. We show here, using the developing ectoderm of the Xenopus embryo as a model, that F-actin assembly is a primary function of both N-cadherin in the neural ectoderm and E-cadherin in the non-neural (epidermal) ectoderm, and that each cadherin is essential for the characteristic morphogenetic movements of these two tissues. However, depletion of N-cadherin and E-cadherin did not cause dissociation in these tissues at the neurula stage, probably owing to the expression of C-cadherin in each tissue. Depletion of each of these cadherins is not rescued by the other, nor by the expression of C-cadherin, which is expressed in both tissues. One possible reason for this is that each cadherin is expressed in a different domain of the cell membrane. These data indicate the combinatorial nature of cadherin function, the fact that N- and E-cadherin play primary roles in F-actin assembly in addition to roles in cell adhesion, and that this function is specific to individual cadherins. They also show how cell adhesion and motility can be combined in morphogenetic tissue movements that generate the form and shape of the embryonic organs. PMID:19279134
mTrop1/Epcam Knockout Mice Develop Congenital Tufting Enteropathy through Dysregulation of Intestinal E-cadherin/β-catenin
Guerra, Emanuela; Lattanzio, Rossano; La Sorda, Rossana; Dini, Francesca; Tiboni, Gian Mario; Piantelli, Mauro; Alberti, Saverio
Congenital tufting enteropathy (CTE) is a life-threatening hereditary disease that is characterized by enteric mucosa tufting degeneration and early onset, severe diarrhea. Loss-of-function mutations of the human EPCAM gene (TROP1, TACSTD1) have been indicated as the cause of CTE. However, loss of mTrop1/Epcam in mice appeared to lead to death in utero, due to placental malformation. This and indications of residual Trop-1/EpCAM expression in cases of CTE cast doubt on the role of mTrop1/Epcam in this disease. The aim of this study was to determine the role of TROP1/EPCAM in CTE and to generate an animal model of this disease for molecular investigation and therapy development. Using a rigorous gene-trapping approach, we obtained mTrop1/Epcam -null (knockout) mice. These were born alive, but failed to thrive, and died soon after birth because of hemorrhagic diarrhea. The intestine from the mTrop1/Epcam knockout mice showed intestinal tufts, villous atrophy and colon crypt hyperplasia, as in human CTE. No structural defects were detected in other organs. These results are consistent with TROP1/EPCAM loss being the cause of CTE, thus providing a viable animal model for this disease, and a benchmark for its pathogenetic course. In the affected enteric mucosa, E-cadherin and β-catenin were shown to be dysregulated, leading to disorganized transition from crypts to villi, with progressive loss of membrane localization and increasing intracellular accumulation, thus unraveling an essential role for Trop-1/EpCAM in the maintenance of intestinal architecture and functionality. Supporting information is available for this article. PMID:23209569
mTrop1/Epcam knockout mice develop congenital tufting enteropathy through dysregulation of intestinal E-cadherin/β-catenin.
Guerra, Emanuela; Lattanzio, Rossano; La Sorda, Rossana; Dini, Francesca; Tiboni, Gian Mario; Piantelli, Mauro; Alberti, Saverio
Congenital tufting enteropathy (CTE) is a life-threatening hereditary disease that is characterized by enteric mucosa tufting degeneration and early onset, severe diarrhea. Loss-of-function mutations of the human EPCAM gene (TROP1, TACSTD1) have been indicated as the cause of CTE. However, loss of mTrop1/Epcam in mice appeared to lead to death in utero, due to placental malformation. This and indications of residual Trop-1/EpCAM expression in cases of CTE cast doubt on the role of mTrop1/Epcam in this disease. The aim of this study was to determine the role of TROP1/EPCAM in CTE and to generate an animal model of this disease for molecular investigation and therapy development. Using a rigorous gene-trapping approach, we obtained mTrop1/Epcam -null (knockout) mice. These were born alive, but failed to thrive, and died soon after birth because of hemorrhagic diarrhea. The intestine from the mTrop1/Epcam knockout mice showed intestinal tufts, villous atrophy and colon crypt hyperplasia, as in human CTE. No structural defects were detected in other organs. These results are consistent with TROP1/EPCAM loss being the cause of CTE, thus providing a viable animal model for this disease, and a benchmark for its pathogenetic course. In the affected enteric mucosa, E-cadherin and β-catenin were shown to be dysregulated, leading to disorganized transition from crypts to villi, with progressive loss of membrane localization and increasing intracellular accumulation, thus unraveling an essential role for Trop-1/EpCAM in the maintenance of intestinal architecture and functionality.Supporting information is available for this article.
The Fps/Fes kinase regulates leucocyte recruitment and extravasation during inflammation.
Parsons, Sean A; Mewburn, Jeffrey D; Truesdell, Peter; Greer, Peter A
Fps/Fes and Fer comprise a distinct subfamily of cytoplasmic protein-tyrosine kinases, and have both been implicated in the regulation of innate immunity. Previous studies showed that Fps/Fes-knockout mice were hypersensitive to systemic lipopolysaccharide (LPS) challenge, and Fer-deficient mice displayed enhanced recruitment of leucocytes in response to localized LPS challenge. We show here for the first time, a role for Fps in the regulation of leucocyte recruitment to areas of inflammation. Using the cremaster muscle intravital microscopy model, we observed increased leucocyte adherence to venules, and increased rates and degrees of transendothelial migration in Fps/Fes-knockout mice relative to wild-type animals subsequent to localized LPS challenge. There was also a decreased vessel wall shear rate in the post-capillary venules of LPS-challenged Fps/Fes-knockout mice, and an increase in neutrophil migration into the peritoneal cavity subsequent to thioglycollate challenge. Using flow cytometry to quantify the expression of surface molecules, we observed prolonged expression of the selectin ligand PSGL-1 on peripheral blood neutrophils from Fps/Fes-knockout mice stimulated ex vivo with LPS. These observations provide important insights into the observed in vivo behaviour of leucocytes in LPS-challenged Fps/Fes-knockout mice and provide evidence that the Fps/Fes kinase plays an important role in the innate immune response.
Insulators recruit histone methyltransferase dMes4 to regulate chromatin of flanking genes
Lhoumaud, Priscillia; Hennion, Magali; Gamot, Adrien; Cuddapah, Suresh; Queille, Sophie; Liang, Jun; Micas, Gael; Morillon, Pauline; Urbach, Serge; Bouchez, Olivier; Severac, Dany; Emberly, Eldon; Zhao, Keji; Cuvier, Olivier
Chromosomal domains in Drosophila are marked by the insulator-binding proteins (IBPs) dCTCF/Beaf32 and cofactors that participate in regulating long-range interactions. Chromosomal borders are further enriched in specific histone modifications, yet the role of histone modifiers and nucleosome dynamics in this context remains largely unknown. Here, we show that IBP depletion impairs nucleosome dynamics specifically at the promoters and coding sequence of genes flanked by IBP binding sites. Biochemical purification identifies the H3K36 histone methyltransferase NSD/dMes-4 as a novel IBP cofactor, which specifically co-regulates the chromatin accessibility of hundreds of genes flanked by dCTCF/Beaf32. NSD/dMes-4 presets chromatin before the recruitment of transcriptional activators including DREF that triggers Set2/Hypb-dependent H3K36 trimethylation, nucleosome positioning, and RNA splicing. Our results unveil a model for how IBPs regulate nucleosome dynamics and gene expression through NSD/dMes-4, which may regulate H3K27me3 spreading. Our data uncover how IBPs dynamically regulate chromatin organization depending on distinct cofactors. PMID:24916307
BICD2, dynactin, and LIS1 cooperate in regulating dynein recruitment to cellular structures
Splinter, Daniël; Razafsky, David S.; Schlager, Max A.; Serra-Marques, Andrea; Grigoriev, Ilya; Demmers, Jeroen; Keijzer, Nanda; Jiang, Kai; Poser, Ina; Hyman, Anthony A.; Hoogenraad, Casper C.; King, Stephen J.; Akhmanova, Anna
Cytoplasmic dynein is the major microtubule minus-end–directed cellular motor. Most dynein activities require dynactin, but the mechanisms regulating cargo-dependent dynein–dynactin interaction are poorly understood. In this study, we focus on dynein–dynactin recruitment to cargo by the conserved motor adaptor Bicaudal D2 (BICD2). We show that dynein and dynactin depend on each other for BICD2-mediated targeting to cargo and that BICD2 N-terminus (BICD2-N) strongly promotes stable interaction between dynein and dynactin both in vitro and in vivo. Direct visualization of dynein in live cells indicates that by itself the triple BICD2-N–dynein–dynactin complex is unable to interact with either cargo or microtubules. However, tethering of BICD2-N to different membranes promotes their microtubule minus-end–directed motility. We further show that LIS1 is required for dynein-mediated transport induced by membrane tethering of BICD2-N and that LIS1 contributes to dynein accumulation at microtubule plus ends and BICD2-positive cellular structures. Our results demonstrate that dynein recruitment to cargo requires concerted action of multiple dynein cofactors. PMID:22956769
The re-expression of the epigenetically silenced e-cadherin gene by a polyamine analogue lysine-specific demethylase-1 (LSD1) inhibitor in human acute myeloid leukemia cell lines.
Murray-Stewart, Tracy; Woster, Patrick M; Casero, Robert A
Aberrant epigenetic silencing of tumor suppressor genes is a common feature observed during the transformation process of many cancers, including those of hematologic origin. Histone modifications, including acetylation, phosphorylation, and methylation, collaborate with DNA CpG island methylation to regulate gene expression. The dynamic process of histone methylation is the latest of these epigenetic modifications to be described, and the identification and characterization of LSD1 as a demethylase of lysine 4 of histone H3 (H3K4) has confirmed that both the enzyme and the modified histone play important roles as regulators of gene expression. LSD1 activity contributes to the suppression of gene expression by demethylating promoter-region mono- and dimethyl-H3K4 histone marks that are associated with active gene expression. As most post-translational modifications are reversible, the enzymes involved in the modification of histones have become targets for chemotherapeutic intervention. In this study, we examined the effects of the polyamine analogue LSD1 inhibitor 2d (1,15-bis{N (5)-[3,3-(diphenyl)propyl]-N(1)-biguanido}-4,12-diazapentadecane) in human acute myeloid leukemia (AML) cell lines. In each line studied, 2d evoked cytotoxicity and inhibited LSD1 activity, as evidenced by increases in the global levels of mono- and di-methylated H3K4 proteins. Global increases in other chromatin modifications were also observed following exposure to 2d, suggesting a broad response to this compound with respect to chromatin regulation. On a gene-specific level, treatment with 2d resulted in the re-expression of e-cadherin, a tumor suppressor gene frequently silenced by epigenetic modification in AML. Quantitative chromatin immunoprecipitation analysis of the e-cadherin promoter further confirmed that this re-expression was concurrent with changes in both active and repressive histone marks that were consistent with LSD1 inhibition. As hematologic malignancies have
Talin regulates moesin–NHE-1 recruitment to invadopodia and promotes mammary tumor metastasis
Wang, Yarong; Bravo-Cordero, Jose Javier; Sharma, Ved P.; Miskolci, Veronika; Hodgson, Louis
Invadopodia are actin-rich protrusions that degrade the extracellular matrix and are required for stromal invasion, intravasation, and metastasis. The role of the focal adhesion protein talin in regulating these structures is not known. Here, we demonstrate that talin is required for invadopodial matrix degradation and three-dimensional extracellular matrix invasion in metastatic breast cancer cells. The sodium/hydrogen exchanger 1 (NHE-1) is linked to the cytoskeleton by ezrin/radixin/moesin family proteins and is known to regulate invadopodium-mediated matrix degradation. We show that the talin C terminus binds directly to the moesin band 4.1 ERM (FERM) domain to recruit a moesin–NHE-1 complex to invadopodia. Silencing talin resulted in a decrease in cytosolic pH at invadopodia and blocked cofilin-dependent actin polymerization, leading to impaired invadopodium stability and matrix degradation. Furthermore, talin is required for mammary tumor cell motility, intravasation, and spontaneous lung metastasis in vivo. Thus, our findings provide a novel understanding of how intracellular pH is regulated and a molecular mechanism by which talin enhances tumor cell invasion and metastasis. PMID:24891603
Talin regulates moesin-NHE-1 recruitment to invadopodia and promotes mammary tumor metastasis.
Beaty, Brian T; Wang, Yarong; Bravo-Cordero, Jose Javier; Sharma, Ved P; Miskolci, Veronika; Hodgson, Louis; Condeelis, John
Invadopodia are actin-rich protrusions that degrade the extracellular matrix and are required for stromal invasion, intravasation, and metastasis. The role of the focal adhesion protein talin in regulating these structures is not known. Here, we demonstrate that talin is required for invadopodial matrix degradation and three-dimensional extracellular matrix invasion in metastatic breast cancer cells. The sodium/hydrogen exchanger 1 (NHE-1) is linked to the cytoskeleton by ezrin/radixin/moesin family proteins and is known to regulate invadopodium-mediated matrix degradation. We show that the talin C terminus binds directly to the moesin band 4.1 ERM (FERM) domain to recruit a moesin-NHE-1 complex to invadopodia. Silencing talin resulted in a decrease in cytosolic pH at invadopodia and blocked cofilin-dependent actin polymerization, leading to impaired invadopodium stability and matrix degradation. Furthermore, talin is required for mammary tumor cell motility, intravasation, and spontaneous lung metastasis in vivo. Thus, our findings provide a novel understanding of how intracellular pH is regulated and a molecular mechanism by which talin enhances tumor cell invasion and metastasis.
Slit2-Robo1 signaling promotes the adhesion, invasion and migration of tongue carcinoma cells via upregulating matrix metalloproteinases 2 and 9, and downregulating E-cadherin
Zhao, Yuan; Zhou, Feng-Li; Li, Wei-Ping; Wang, Jing; Wang, Li-Jing
Whether Slit homologue 2 (Slit2) inhibits or promotes tumor cell migration remains controversial, and the role of Slit2-Roundabout 1 (Robo1) signaling in oral cancer remains to be fully elucidated. The aim of the present study was to investigate the role of Slit2-Robo1 signaling in the adhesion, invasion and migration of tongue carcinoma cells, and the mechanism by which Slit2-Robo1 signaling inhibits or promotes tumor cell migration. Tca8113 tongue carcinoma cells were treated with the monoclonal anti-human Robo1 antibody, R5, to inhibit the Slit2-Robo1 signaling pathway, with immunoglobulin (Ig)G2b treatment as a negative control. The expression levels of Slit2 and Robo1 were determined using flow cytometry. The effects of R5 on the adhesion, invasion and migration of Tca8113 tongue carcinoma cells were investigated. Gelatin zymography was used to investigate the activity of matrix metalloproteinase 2 (MMP2) and MMP9. Western blot analysis was used to evaluate the expression levels of E-cadherin in Tca8113 cells treated with 10 µg/ml of either R5 or IgG2b. Slit2 and Robo1 proteins were found to be expressed in the Tca8113 cells. R5 significantly inhibited the adhesion, invasion and migration of Tca8113 cells in vitro. R5 also inhibited the activities of MMP2 and MMP9, and increased the expression of E-cadherin in the Tca8113 cells. These results suggested that Slit2-Robo1 signaling promoted the adhesion, invasion and migration of tongue carcinoma cells by upregulating the expression levels of MMP2 and MMP9 and, downregulating the expression of E-cadherin. PMID:27431199
The expression of syndecan-1 and -2 is associated with Gleason score and epithelial-mesenchymal transition markers, E-cadherin and beta-catenin, in prostate cancer.
Contreras, Hector R; Ledezma, Rodrigo A; Vergara, Jorge; Cifuentes, Federico; Barra, Cristina; Cabello, Pablo; Gallegos, Ivan; Morales, Bernardo; Huidobro, Christian; Castellón, Enrique A
The epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) is considered a key step in tumor progression, where the invasive cancer cells change from epithelial to mesenchymal phenotype. During this process, a decrease or loss in adhesion molecules expression and an increase in migration molecules expression are observed. The aim of this work was to determine the expression and cellular distribution of syndecan-1 and -2 (migration molecules) and E-cadherin and beta-catenin (adhesion molecules) in different stages of prostate cancer progression. A quantitative immunohistochemical study of these molecules was carried out in tissue samples from benign prostatic hyperplasia and prostate carcinoma, with low and high Gleason score, obtained from biopsies archives of the Clinic Hospital of the University of Chile and Dipreca Hospital. Polyclonal specific antibodies and amplification system of estreptavidin-biotin peroxidase and diaminobenzidine were used. Syndecan-1 was uniformly expressed in basolateral membranes of normal epithelium, changing to a granular cytoplasmatic expression pattern in carcinomas. Syndecan-2 was observed mainly in a cytoplasmatic granular pattern, with high immunostaining intensity in areas of low Gleason score. E-cadherin was detected in basolateral membrane of normal epithelia showing decreased expression in high Gleason score samples. beta-Catenin was found in cell membranes of normal epithelia changing its distribution toward the nucleus and cytoplasm in carcinoma samples. We concluded that changes in expression and cell distribution of E-cadherin and beta-catenin correlated with the progression degree of prostate adenocarcinoma, suggesting a role of these molecules as markers of progression and prognosis. Furthermore, changes in the pattern expression of syndecan-1 and -2 indicate that both molecules may be involved in the EMT and tumor progression of prostate cancer.
Inorganic arsenic trioxide induces gap junction loss in association with the downregulation of connexin43 and E-cadherin in rat hepatic "stem-like" cells.
Hsiao, Pi-Jung; Jao, Jo-Chi; Tsai, Jin-Lian; Chang, Wen-Tsan; Jeng, Kuo-Shyang; Kuo, Kung-Kai
Chronic exposure to inorganic arsenic trioxide causes tumors of the skin, urinary bladder, lung, and liver. Several cancer initiators and promoters have been shown to alter cell-cell signaling by interference with gap junction intercellular communication (GJIC) and/or modulation of cell adhesion molecules, such as connexin43 (Cx43), E-cadherin, and β-catenin. The aim of this study was to determine whether the disruption of cell-cell interactions occurs in liver epithelial cells after exposure to arsenic trioxide. WB-F344 cells were treated with arsenic trioxide (6.25-50 μM) for up to 8 hours, and gap junction function was analyzed using the scrape-load/dye transfer assay. In addition, the changes in mRNA and protein levels of Cx43, E-cadherin, and β-catenin were determined. A significant dose- and time-dependent decrease in GJIC was observed when WB-F344 cells were exposed to arsenic trioxide (p < 0.05). Consistent with the inhibition of GJIC, cells' exposure to arsenic trioxide resulted in dose- and time-dependent decreases in Cx43 and E-cadherin mRNA expression and protein levels. However, arsenic trioxide did not alter the mRNA or protein levels of β-catenin. In an immunofluorescence study, nuclei were heavily stained with anti-β-catenin antibody, indicating significant nuclear translocation. In this study, we also demonstrated that arsenic trioxide-induced GJIC loss was a reversible process. Taken together, these data support the hypothesis that disruption of cell-cell communication may contribute to the tumor-promoting effect of inorganic arsenic trioxide.
Pten regulates spindle pole movement through Dlg1-mediated recruitment of Eg5 to centrosomes
van Ree, Janine H.; Nam, Hyun-Ja; Jeganathan, Karthik B.; Kanakkanthara, Arun; van Deursen, Jan M.
Phosphatase and tensin homologue (Pten) suppresses neoplastic growth by negatively regulating PI(3)K signalling through its phosphatase activity1. To gain insight into the actions of non-catalytic Pten domains in normal physiological processes and tumorigenesis2,3, we engineered mice lacking the PDZ-binding domain (PDZ-BD). Here, we show that the PDZ-BD regulates centrosome movement and that its heterozygous or homozygous deletion promotes aneuploidy and tumour formation. We found that Pten is recruited to pre-mitotic centrosomes in a Plk1-dependent fashion to create a docking site for protein complexes containing the PDZ-domain-containing protein Dlg1 (also known as Sap97) and Eg5 (also known as Kif11), a kinesin essential for centrosome movement and bipolar spindle formation4. Docking of Dlg1–Eg5 complexes to Pten depended on Eg5 phosphorylation by the Nek9–Nek6 mitotic kinase cascade and Cdk1. PDZ-BD deletion or Dlg1 ablation impaired loading of Eg5 onto centrosomes and spindle pole motility, yielding asymmetrical spindles that are prone to chromosome missegregation. Collectively, these data demonstrate that Pten, through the Dlg1-binding ability of its PDZ-BD, accumulates phosphorylated Eg5 at duplicated centrosomes to establish symmetrical bipolar spindles that properly segregate chromosomes, and suggest that this function contributes to tumour suppression. PMID:27240320
Lin28A binds active promoters and recruits Tet1 to regulate gene expression
Zeng, Yaxue; Yao, Bing; Shin, Jaehoon; Lin, Li; Kim, Namshik; Song, Qifeng; Liu, Shuang; Su, Yijing; Guo, Junjie U.; Huang, Luoxiu; Wan, Jun; Wu, Hao; Qian, Jiang; Cheng, Xiaodong; Zhu, Heng; Ming, Guo-li; Jin, Peng; Song, Hongjun
Lin28, a well-known RNA-binding protein, regulates diverse cellular properties. All physiological functions of Lin28A characterized so far have been attributed to its repression of let-7 miRNA biogenesis or modulation of mRNA translational efficiency. Here we show that Lin28A directly binds to a consensus DNA sequence in vitro and in mouse embryonic stem cells in vivo. ChIP-seq and RNA-seq reveal enrichment of Lin28A binding around transcription start sites, and a positive correlation between its genomic occupancy and expression of many associated genes. Mechanistically, Lin28A recruits 5-methylcytosine-dioxygenase Tet1 to genomic binding sites to orchestrate 5-methylcytosine and 5-hydroxymethylcytosine dynamics. Either Lin28A or Tet1 knockdown leads to dysregulated DNA methylation and expression of common target genes. These results reveal a surprising role for Lin28A in transcriptional regulation via epigenetic DNA modifications and have implications for understanding mechanisms underlying versatile functions of Lin28A in mammalian systems. PMID:26711009
Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition Markers β-catenin, Snail, and E-Cadherin do not Predict Disease Free Survival in Prostate Adenocarcinoma: a Prospective Study.
Ipekci, Tumay; Ozden, Ferhat; Unal, Betul; Saygin, Caner; Uzunaslan, Didem; Ates, Erhan
Current methods for diagnosis and staging of prostate adenocarcinoma are not sensitive enough to distinguish between patients with indolent disease and those that should receive radical treatment. Epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) is a well-characterized process involved in tumor invasion and metastasis. The aim of this study is to analyze the expression of β-catenin, Snail, and E-cadherin in prostate cancer patients with prospective evaluation of their value in predicting disease-free survival (DFS). One-hundred-and-three consecutive prostate carcinoma patients who underwent radical prostatectomy and 35 patients with benign prostate hyperplasia (BPH) were enrolled. Age, initial PSA level, tumor size and clinical stage were documented for adenocarcinoma patients and they were enrolled in active surveillance with serum PSA levels. Recurrence was defined as PSA level of ≥ 0.2 ng/ml on at least 2 occasions over a 2-month period. Immunohistochemical staining intensity was scored as negative, weakly positive, moderately positive, and strongly positive. For Snail and β-catenin immunoreaction, the tumors were considered nuclear positive when more than 5 % of the nuclei of tumor cells were positively stained. Patients with prostate cancer had weaker β-catenin (p < 0.0001), Snail (p = 0.006), and E-cadherin (p = 0.02) staining when compared to BPH patients and the frequency of nuclear positivity for β-catenin and Snail were higher in adenocarcinoma group (p < 0.0001). Increased expression and nuclear positivity of β-catenin were associated with advanced stage (p = 0.012 and p = 0.003) and higher tumor volume (p = 0.013 and p = 0.002). Additionally, patients with increased Snail expression had higher Gleason scores and tumor volume at presentation (p = 0.008 and p = 0.004). However, there were no significant DFS differences in adenocarcinoma patients who did and did not have β-catenin, Snail, and E-cadherin expression as assessed with log-rank test. Expressions
Tumor-specific downregulation and methylation of the CDH13 (H-cadherin) and CDH1 (E-cadherin) genes correlate with aggressiveness of human pituitary adenomas.
Qian, Zhi Rong; Sano, Toshiaki; Yoshimoto, Katsuhiko; Asa, Sylvia L; Yamada, Shozo; Mizusawa, Noriko; Kudo, Eiji
The gene products of CDH13 and CDH1, H-cadherin and E-cadherin, respectively, play a key role in cell-cell adhesion. Inactivation of the cadherin-mediated cell adhesion system caused by aberrant methylation is a common finding in human cancers, indicating that the CDH13 and CDH1 function as tumor suppressor and invasion suppressor genes. In this study, we analyzed the expression of H-cadherin mRNA and E-cadherin protein in 5 normal pituitary tissues and 69 primary pituitary adenomas including all major types by quantitative real-time RT-PCR (qRT-PCR) and immunohistochemistry, respectively. Reduced expression of H-cadherin was detected in 54% (28/52) of pituitary tumors and was significantly associated with tumor aggressiveness (P<0.05). E-cadherin expression was lost in 30% (21 of 69) and significantly reduced in 32% (22 of 69) of tumors. E-cadherin expression was significantly lower in grade II, III, and IV than in grade I adenomas (P=0.015, P=0.029, and P=0.01, respectively). Using methylation-specific PCR (MSP), promoter hypermethylation of CDH13 and CDH1 was detected in 30 and 36% of 69 adenomas, respectively, but not in 5 normal pituitary tissues. Methylation of CDH13 was observed more frequently in invasive adenomas (42%) than in non-invasive adenomas (19%) (P<0.05) and methylation of CDH1 was more frequent in grade IV adenomas compared with grade I adenomas (P<0.05). Methylation of either CDH13 or CDH1 was identified in 35 cases (51%) and was more frequent in grade IV invasive adenomas than in grade I non-invasive adenomas (P<0.05 and P<0.05, respectively). Downregulation of expression was correlated with promoter hypermethylation in CDH13 and CDH1. In conclusion, the tumor-specific downregulation of expression and methylation of CDH13 and CDH1, alone or in combination, may be involved in the development and invasive growth of pituitary adenomas.
Stromal cells positively and negatively modulate the growth of cancer cells: stimulation via the PGE2-TNFα-IL-6 pathway and inhibition via secreted GAPDH-E-cadherin interaction.
Kawada, Manabu; Inoue, Hiroyuki; Ohba, Shun-ichi; Yoshida, Junjiro; Masuda, Tohru; Yamasaki, Manabu; Usami, Ihomi; Sakamoto, Shuichi; Abe, Hikaru; Watanabe, Takumi; Yamori, Takao; Shibasaki, Masakatsu; Nomoto, Akio
Fibroblast-like stromal cells modulate cancer cells through secreted factors and adhesion, but those factors are not fully understood. Here, we have identified critical stromal factors that modulate cancer growth positively and negatively. Using a cell co-culture system, we found that gastric stromal cells secreted IL-6 as a growth and survival factor for gastric cancer cells. Moreover, gastric cancer cells secreted PGE2 and TNFα that stimulated IL-6 secretion by the stromal cells. Furthermore, we found that stromal cells secreted glyceraldehyde 3-phosphate dehydrogenase (GAPDH). Extracellular GAPDH, or its N-terminal domain, inhibited gastric cancer cell growth, a finding confirmed in other cell systems. GAPDH bound to E-cadherin and downregulated the mTOR-p70S6 kinase pathway. These results demonstrate that stromal cells could regulate cancer cell growth through the balance of these secreted factors. We propose that negative regulation of cancer growth using GAPDH could be a new anti-cancer strategy.
Stromal Cells Positively and Negatively Modulate the Growth of Cancer Cells: Stimulation via the PGE2-TNFα-IL-6 Pathway and Inhibition via Secreted GAPDH-E-Cadherin Interaction
Kawada, Manabu; Inoue, Hiroyuki; Ohba, Shun-ichi; Yoshida, Junjiro; Masuda, Tohru; Yamasaki, Manabu; Usami, Ihomi; Sakamoto, Shuichi; Abe, Hikaru; Watanabe, Takumi; Yamori, Takao; Shibasaki, Masakatsu; Nomoto, Akio
Fibroblast-like stromal cells modulate cancer cells through secreted factors and adhesion, but those factors are not fully understood. Here, we have identified critical stromal factors that modulate cancer growth positively and negatively. Using a cell co-culture system, we found that gastric stromal cells secreted IL-6 as a growth and survival factor for gastric cancer cells. Moreover, gastric cancer cells secreted PGE2 and TNFα that stimulated IL-6 secretion by the stromal cells. Furthermore, we found that stromal cells secreted glyceraldehyde 3-phosphate dehydrogenase (GAPDH). Extracellular GAPDH, or its N-terminal domain, inhibited gastric cancer cell growth, a finding confirmed in other cell systems. GAPDH bound to E-cadherin and downregulated the mTOR-p70S6 kinase pathway. These results demonstrate that stromal cells could regulate cancer cell growth through the balance of these secreted factors. We propose that negative regulation of cancer growth using GAPDH could be a new anti-cancer strategy. PMID:25785838
The LIM domain protein nTRIP6 recruits the mediator complex to AP-1-regulated promoters.
Diefenbacher, Markus E; Reich, Daniela; Dahley, Oliver; Kemler, Denise; Litfin, Margarethe; Herrlich, Peter; Kassel, Olivier
Several LIM domain proteins regulate transcription. They are thought to act through their LIM protein-protein interaction domains as adaptors for the recruitment of transcriptional co-regulators. An intriguing example is nTRIP6, the nuclear isoform of the focal adhesion protein TRIP6. nTRIP6 interacts with AP-1 and enhances its transcriptional activity. nTRIP6 is also essential for the transrepression of AP-1 by the glucocorticoid receptor (GR), by mediating GR tethering to promoter-bound AP-1. Here we report on the molecular mechanism by which nTRIP6 exerts these effects. Both the LIM domains and the pre-LIM region of nTRIP6 are necessary for its co-activator function for AP-1. Discrete domains within the pre-LIM region mediate the dimerization of nTRIP6 at the promoter, which enables the recruitment of the Mediator complex subunits THRAP3 and Med1. This recruitment is blocked by GR, through a competition between GR and THRAP3 for the interaction with the LIM domains of nTRIP6. Thus, nTRIP6 both positively and negatively regulates transcription by orchestrating the recruitment of the Mediator complex to AP-1-regulated promoters.
Intracellular uptake and intraspheroidal distribution of hypericin and hydrophilic analogues using E-cadherin transfected T-24 human bladder cancer cells
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Crnolatac, Ivo; Huygens, Ann; de Witte, Peter A. M.
Hypericin (HYP) is used after instillation as a diagnostic tool for the fluorescence detection of CIS in the human bladder. In this study the in vitro cellular accumulation and intraspheroidal distribution of HYP and three analogues (OH1, OH2, OH3) with gradually increasing hydrophilicity were studied. E-cadherin negative (T24-C1 -) and E-cadherin positive (T24-H3 ++) human bladder cancer cells were used. We report that in the presence of FBS all compounds were taken up by the monolayer cells to the same limited extent, whereas the overall intracellular accumulation was substantially higher when the incubation of the different dyes took place using cell medium not supplemented with FBS. The results of this study therefore confirm the competition between cellular uptake of HYP and analogues and binding to FBS constituents. Investigating the permeation of the compounds in spheroids, it was found that all HYP analogues diffused dramatically better through the three-dimensional cell layers than HYP itself. This enhanced ability of hydrophilic HYP analogues to permeate through the cell layers in the presence of FBS can be explained in terms of a preferred binding to HDL as compared to LDL. The results further show that all compounds, including LDL-binding HYP, substantially permeated better in T24-C1 - spheroids than in T24-H3 ++ spheroids. The data therefore support the hypothesis that a lowered cellular cohesion is the key to understand the selective uptake of hypericin and its analogues in malignant urothelial cells.
Statin-induced mevalonate pathway inhibition attenuates the growth of mesenchymal-like cancer cells that lack functional E-cadherin mediated cell cohesion.
Warita, Katsuhiko; Warita, Tomoko; Beckwitt, Colin H; Schurdak, Mark E; Vazquez, Alexei; Wells, Alan; Oltvai, Zoltán N
The cholesterol reducing drugs, statins, exhibit anti-tumor effects against cancer stem cells and various cancer cell lines, exert potent additivity or synergy with existing chemotherapeutics in animal models of cancer and may reduce cancer incidence and cancer related mortality in humans. However, not all tumor cell lines are sensitive to statins, and clinical trials have demonstrated mixed outcomes regarding statins as anticancer agents. Here, we show that statin-induced reduction in intracellular cholesterol levels correlate with the growth inhibition of cancer cell lines upon statin treatment. Moreover, statin sensitivity segregates with abundant cytosolic vimentin expression and absent cell surface E-cadherin expression, a pattern characteristic of mesenchymal-like cells. Exogenous expression of cell surface E-cadherin converts statin- sensitive cells to a partially resistant state implying that statin resistance is in part dependent on the tumor cells attaining an epithelial phenotype. As metastasizing tumor cells undergo epithelial to mesenchymal transition during the initiation of the metastatic cascade, statin therapy may represent an effective approach to targeting the cells most likely to disseminate.
8-Prenylnaringenin, the phytoestrogen in hops and beer, upregulates the function of the E-cadherin/catenin complex in human mammary carcinoma cells.
Rong, H; Boterberg, T; Maubach, J; Stove, C; Depypere, H; Van Slambrouck, S; Serreyn, R; De Keukeleire, D; Mareel, M; Bracke, M
The E-cadherin/catenin complex is a powerful invasion suppressor in epithelial cells. It is expressed in the human MCF-7 breast cancer cell line family, but functionally defective in the invasive MCF-7/6 variant. Previous experiments have shown that IGF-I, tamoxifen, retinoic acid and tangeretin are able to upregulate the function of this complex in MCF-7/6 cells. We investigated the effect of 8-prenylnaringenin (8-PN), the phytoestrogen present in hops and beer, on aggregation, growth and invasion in MCF-7/6 cells. 8-PN was found to stimulate E-cadherin-dependent aggregation and growth of MCF-7/6 cells in suspension. These effects could be inhibited by the pure anti-estrogen ICI 182,780. 8-PN did not affect invasion of MCF-7/6 cells in the chick heart assay in vitro. In all these aspects 8-PN mimics the effects of 17beta-estradiol on MCF-7/6 cells.
Inhibition of IGF-1 signaling by genistein: modulation of E-cadherin expression and downregulation of β-catenin signaling in hormone refractory PC-3 prostate cancer cells.
Lee, Joomin; Ju, Jihyeung; Park, Seyeon; Hong, Sung Joon; Yoon, Sun
Elevated levels of insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) are associated with an increased risk of several different cancers, including prostate cancer. Inhibition of IGF-1 and the downstream signaling pathways mediated by the activation of the IGF-1 receptor (IGF-1R) may be involved in inhibiting prostate carcinogenesis. We investigated whether genistein downregulated the IGF-1/IGF-1R signaling pathway and inhibited cell growth in hormone refractory PC-3 prostate cancer cells. Genistein treatment caused a significant inhibition of IGF-1-stimulated cell growth. Flow cytometry analysis revealed that genistein significantly decreased the number of IGF-1-stimulated cells in the G0/G1 phase of the cell cycle. In IGF-1-treated cells, genistein effectively inhibited the phosphorylation of IGF-1R and the phosphorylation of its downstream targets, such as Src, Akt, and glycogen synthase kinase-3β (GSk-3β). IGF-1 treatment decreased the levels of E-cadherin but increased the levels of β-catenin and cyclin D1. However, genistein treatment greatly attenuated IGF-1-induced β-catenin signaling that correlated with increasing the levels of E-cadherin and decreasing cyclin D1 levels in PC-3 cells. In addition, genistein inhibited T-cell factor/lymphoid enhancer factor (TCF/LEF)-dependent transcriptional activity. These results showed that genistein effectively inhibited cell growth in IGF-1-stimulated PC-3 cells, possibly by inhibiting downstream of IGF-1R activation.
Methotrexate induces apoptosis through p53/p21-dependent pathway and increases E-cadherin expression through downregulation of HDAC/EZH2.
Huang, Wen-Yu; Yang, Pei-Ming; Chang, Yu-Fan; Marquez, Victor E; Chen, Ching-Chow
Methotrexate (MTX) is a dihydrofolate reductase (DHFR) inhibitor widely used as an anticancer drug in different kinds of human cancers. Here we investigated the anti-tumor mechanism of MTX against non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) A549 cells. MTX not only inhibited in vitro cell growth via induction of apoptosis, but also inhibited tumor formation in animal xenograft model. RNase protection assay (RPA) and RT-PCR demonstrated its induction of p53 target genes including DR5, p21, Puma and Noxa. Moreover, MTX promoted p53 phosphorylation at Ser15 and acetylaion at Lys373/382, which increase its stability and expression. The apoptosis and inhibition of cell viability induced by MTX were dependent on p53 and, partially, on p21. In addition, MTX also increased E-cadherin expression through inhibition of histone deacetylase (HDAC) activity and downregulation of polycomb group protein enhancer of zeste homologue 2 (EZH2). Therefore, the anticancer mechanism of MTX acts through initiation of p53-dependent apoptosis and restoration of E-cadherin expression by downregulation of HDAC/EZH2.
URG11 mediates hypoxia-induced epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition by modulation of E-cadherin and {beta}-catenin
Du, Rui; Huang, Chen; Bi, Qian; Zhai, Ying; Xia, Lin; Liu, Jie; Sun, Shiren; Fan, Daiming
Upregulated gene 11 (URG11), recently identified as a new HBx-upregulated gene that may activate {beta}-catenin and Wnt signaling, was found to be upregulated in a human tubule cell line under low oxygen. Here, we investigated the potential role of URG11 in hypoxia-induced renal tubular epithelial-to-mesenchymal (EMT). Overexpression of URG11 in a human proximal tubule cell line (HK2) promoted a mesenchymal phenotype accompanied by reduced expression of the epithelial marker E-cadherin and increased expression of the mesenchymal markers vimentin and {alpha}-SMA, while URG11 knockdown by siRNA effectively reversed hypoxia-induced EMT. URG11 promoted the expression of {beta}-catenin and increased its nuclear accumulation under normoxic conditions through transactivation of the {beta}-catenin promoter. This in turn upregulated {beta}-catenin/T-cell factor (TCF) and its downstream effector genes, vimentin, and {alpha}-SMA. In vivo, strong expression of URG11 was observed in the tubular epithelia of 5/6-nephrectomized rats, and a Western blot analysis demonstrated a close correlation between HIF-1{alpha} and URG11 protein levels. Altogether, our results indicate that URG11 mediates hypoxia-induced EMT through the suppression of E-cadherin and the activation of the {beta}-catenin/TCF pathway.
The cyclin A centrosomal localization sequence recruits MCM5 and Orc1 to regulate centrosome reduplication.
Ferguson, Rebecca L; Pascreau, Gaetan; Maller, James L
Centrosomes are the major microtubule-organizing centers in animal cells and regulate formation of a bipolar mitotic spindle. Aberrant centrosome number causes chromosome mis-segregation, and has been implicated in genomic instability and tumor development. Previous studies have demonstrated a role for the DNA replication factors MCM5 and Orc1 in preventing centrosome reduplication. Cyclin A-Cdk2 localizes on centrosomes by means of a modular centrosomal localization sequence (CLS) that is distinct from that of cyclin E. Here, we show that cyclin A interacts with both MCM5 and Orc1 in a CLS-dependent but Cdk-independent manner. Although the MRAIL hydrophobic patch is contained within the cyclin A CLS, binding of both MCM5 and Orc1 to cyclin A does not require a wild-type hydrophobic patch. The same domain in MCM5 that mediates interaction with cyclin E also binds cyclin A, resulting in centrosomal localization of MCM5. Finally, unlike its function in DNA synthesis, MCM5-mediated inhibition of centrosome reduplication in S-phase-arrested CHO cells does not require binding to other MCM family members. These results suggest that cyclins E and A sequentially prevent centrosome reduplication throughout interphase by recruitment of DNA replication factors such as MCM5 and Orc1.
Targeting P38 Pathway Regulates Bony Formation via MSC Recruitment during Mandibular Distraction Osteogenesis in Rats
Yang, Zi-hui; Wu, Bao-lei; Ye, Chen; Jia, Sen; Yang, Xin-jie; Hou, Rui; Lei, De-lin; Wang, Lei
Distraction osteogenesis (DO) is a widely used self-tissue engineering. However, complications and discomfort due to the long treatment period are still the bottleneck of DO. Novel strategies to accelerate bone formation in DO are still needed. P38 is capable of regulating the osteogenic differentiation of both mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) and osteoblasts, which are crucial to bone regeneration. However, it is not clear whether targeting p38 could regulate bony formation in DO. The purpose of the current work was to investigate the effects of local application of either p38 agonist anisomycin or p38 inhibitor SB203580 in a rat model of DO. 30 adult rats were randomly divided into 3 groups: (A) rats injected with DMSO served as the control group; (B) rats injected with p38 agonist anisomycin; (C) rats injected with p38 inhibitor SB203580. All the rats were subjected to mandibular distraction and the injection was performed daily during this period. The distracted mandibles were harvested on days 15 and 30 after surgery and subjected to the following analysis. Micro-computed tomography and histological evaluation results showed that local application of p38 agonist anisomycin increased new bone formation in DO, whereas p38 inhibitor SB203580 decreased it. Immunohistochemical analysis suggested that anisomycin promoted MSC recruitment in the distraction gap. In conclusion, this study demonstrated that local application of p38 agonist anisomycin can increase new bone formation during DO. This study may lead to a novel cell-based strategy for the improvement of bone regeneration. PMID:27766028
EGF and amphiregulin differentially regulate Cbl recruitment to endosomes and EGF receptor fate
Stern, Kathryn A.; Place, Trenton L.; Lill, Nancy L.
EGF-R [EGF (epidermal growth factor) receptor] ligands can promote or inhibit cell growth. The biological outcome of receptor activation is dictated, at least in part, by ligand-specified patterns of endocytic trafficking. EGF-R trafficking downstream of the ligands EGF and TGF-α (transforming growth factor-α) has been investigated extensively. However, less is known about EGF-R fates induced by the ligands BTC (betacellulin) and AR (amphiregulin). We undertook comparative analyses to identify ligand-specific molecular events that regulate EGF-R trafficking and degradation. EGF (17 nM) and BTC (8.5 nM) induced significant EGF-R degradation, with or without ectopic expression of the ubiquitin ligase Cbl. Human recombinant AR (17 nM) failed to affect receptor degradation in either case. Notably, levels of ligand-induced EGF-R ubiquitination did not correlate strictly with receptor degradation. Dose–response experiments revealed that AR at a saturating concentration was a partial agonist at the EGF-R, with approx. 40 % efficacy (relative to EGF) at inducing receptor tyrosine phosphorylation, ubiquitination and association with Cbl. EGF-R down-regulation and degradation also were compromised upon cell stimulation with AR (136 nM). These outcomes correlated with decreased degradation of the Cbl substrate and internalization inhibitor hSprouty2. Downstream of the hSprouty2 checkpoint in AR-stimulated cells, Cbl-free EGF-R was incorporated into endosomes from which Cbl–EGF-R complexes were excluded. Our results suggest that the AR-specific EGF-R fate results from decreased hSprouty2 degradation and reduced Cbl recruitment to underphosphorylated EGF-R, two effects that impair EGF-R trafficking to lysosomes. PMID:18045238
Environmental factors regulating the recruitment of walleye Sander vitreus and white bass Morone chrysops in irrigation reservoirs
DeBoer, Jason A.; Pope, Kevin L.; Koupal, Keith D.
Understanding the environmental factors that regulate fish recruitment is essential for effective management of fisheries. Generally, first-year survival, and therefore recruitment, is inherently less consistent in systems with high intra- and interannual variability. Irrigation reservoirs display sporadic patterns of annual drawdown, which can pose a substantial challenge to recruitment of fishes. We developed species-specific models using an 18-year data set compiled from state and federal agencies to investigate variables that regulate the recruitment of walleye Sander vitreus and white bass Morone chrysops in irrigation reservoirs in south-west Nebraska, USA. The candidate model set for walleye included only abiotic variables (water-level elevation, minimum daily air temperature during winter prior to hatching, annual precipitation, spring warming rate and May reservoir discharge), and the candidate model set for white bass included primarily biotic variables (catch per unit effort (CPUE) of black crappie Pomoxis nigromaculatus, CPUE of age-0 walleye, CPUE of bluegill Lepomis macrochirus and CPUE of age-3 and older white bass), each of which had a greater relative importance than the single abiotic variable (minimum daily air temperature during winter after hatching). Our findings improve the understanding of the recruitment of fishes in irrigation reservoirs and the relative roles of abiotic and biotic factors.
miR-495 is upregulated by E12/E47 in breast cancer stem cells, and promotes oncogenesis and hypoxia resistance via downregulation of E-cadherin and REDD1.
Hwang-Verslues, W W; Chang, P-H; Wei, P-C; Yang, C-Y; Huang, C-K; Kuo, W-H; Shew, J-Y; Chang, K-J; Lee, E Y-H P; Lee, W-H
MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are involved in tumorigenecity by regulating specific oncogenes and tumor suppressor genes, and their roles in breast cancer stem cells (BCSCs) are becoming apparent. Distinct from the CD44(+)/CD24(-/low) sub-population, we have isolated a novel PROCR(+)/ESA(+) BCSC sub-population. To explore miRNA-regulatory mechanisms in this sub-population, we performed miRNA expression profiling and found miR-495 as the most highly upegulated miRNA in PROCR(+)/ESA(+) cells. Coincidently, high upregulation of miR-495 was also found in CD44(+)/CD24(-/low) BCSCs, reflecting its potential importance in maintaining common BCSC properties. Ectopic expression of miR-495 in breast cancer cells promoted their colony formation in vitro and tumorigenesis in mice. miR-495 directly suppressed E-cadherin expression to promote cell invasion and inhibited REDD1 expression to enhance cell proliferation in hypoxia through post-transcriptional mechanism. miR-495 expression was directly modulated by transcription factor E12/E47, which itself is highly expressed in BCSCs. These findings reveal a novel regulatory pathway centered on miR-495 that contributes to BCSC properties and hypoxia resistance.
Regulation of Ca2+ channels by SNAP-25 via recruitment of syntaxin-1 from plasma membrane clusters
Toft-Bertelsen, Trine Lisberg; Ziomkiewicz, Iwona; Houy, Sébastien; Pinheiro, Paulo S.; Sørensen, Jakob B.
SNAP-25 regulates Ca2+ channels, with potentially important consequences for diseases involving an aberrant SNAP-25 expression level. How this regulation is executed mechanistically remains unknown. We investigated this question in mouse adrenal chromaffin cells and found that SNAP-25 inhibits Ca2+ currents, with the B-isoform being more potent than the A-isoform, but not when syntaxin-1 is cleaved by botulinum neurotoxin C. In contrast, syntaxin-1 inhibits Ca2+ currents independently of SNAP-25. Further experiments using immunostaining showed that endogenous or exogenous SNAP-25 expression recruits syntaxin-1 from clusters on the plasma membrane, thereby increasing the immunoavailability of syntaxin-1 and leading indirectly to Ca2+ current inhibition. Expression of Munc18-1, which recruits syntaxin-1 within the exocytotic pathway, does not modulate Ca2+ channels, whereas overexpression of the syntaxin-binding protein Doc2B or ubMunc13-2 increases syntaxin-1 immunoavailability and concomitantly down-regulates Ca2+ currents. Similar findings were obtained upon chemical cholesterol depletion, leading directly to syntaxin-1 cluster dispersal and Ca2+ current inhibition. We conclude that clustering of syntaxin-1 allows the cell to maintain a high syntaxin-1 expression level without compromising Ca2+ influx, and recruitment of syntaxin-1 from clusters by SNAP-25 expression makes it available for regulating Ca2+ channels. This mechanism potentially allows the cell to regulate Ca2+ influx by expanding or contracting syntaxin-1 clusters. PMID:27605709
Reduced expression of E-cadherin and p120-catenin and elevated expression of PLC-γ1 and PIKE are associated with aggressiveness of oral squamous cell carcinoma.
Jiang, Yi; Liao, Liyan; Shrestha, Chandrama; Ji, Shangli; Chen, Ying; Peng, Jian; Wang, Larry; Liao, Eryuan; Xie, Zhongjian
Oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) is one of the most lethal malignant tumors. The cadherin/catenin cell-cell adhesion complex plays a major role in cancer development and progression. p120-catenin (p120) is a cytoplasmic molecule closely associated with E-cadherin which activates phospholipase C-γ1 (PLC-γ1). Our previous studies indicate that activation of PLC-γ1 plays a critical role in epidermal growth factor (EGF)-induced migration and proliferation of squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) cells and phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase enhancer (PIKE) is highly expressed in SCC cells and mediates EGFR-dependent SCC cell proliferation. Our current study was to determine whether the expression of E-cadherin, p120, PLC-γ1, and PIKE, is associated with OSCC. To address this issue, we assessed levels and localization of E-cadherin, p120, PLC-γ1, and PIKE in specimen of 92 patients with OSCC by immunohistochemistry. The results showed that the expression of E-cadherin, and p120 negatively correlated with the tumor differentiation and the expression of PLC-γ1 and PIKE positively correlated with the tumor differentiation. The expression of PLC-γ1 and PIKE in OSCC stage T3 + T4 or in OSCC with lymph node metastasis was significantly higher than that in OSCC stage T1 + T2 or in OSCC without lymph node metastasis. The expression of p120 positively correlated with levels of E-cadherin but negatively correlated with levels of PLC-γ1 and PIKE in OSCC. These data indicate that increased expression of PLC-γ1 and PIKE and decreased expression of E-cadherin and p120 are associated with the aggressiveness of OSCC.
Role of Caveolin 1, E-Cadherin, Enolase 2 and PKCalpha on resistance to methotrexate in human HT29 colon cancer cells
Selga, Elisabet; Morales, Cristina; Noé, Véronique; Peinado, Miguel A; Ciudad, Carlos J
Background Methotrexate is one of the earliest cytotoxic drugs used in cancer therapy, and despite the isolation of multiple other folate antagonists, methotrexate maintains its significant role as a treatment for different types of cancer and other disorders. The usefulness of treatment with methotrexate is limited by the development of drug resistance, which may be acquired through different ways. To get insights into the mechanisms associated with drug resistance and sensitization we performed a functional analysis of genes deregulated in methotrexate resistant cells, either due to its co-amplification with the dhfr gene or as a result of a transcriptome screening using microarrays. Methods Gene expression levels were compared between triplicate samples from either HT29 sensitive cells and resistant to 10-5 M MTX by hybridization to the GeneChip® HG U133 PLUS 2.0 from Affymetrix. After normalization, a list of 3-fold differentially expressed genes with a p-value < 0.05 including multiple testing correction (Benjamini and Hochberg false discovery rate) was generated. RT-Real-time PCR was used to validate the expression levels of selected genes and copy-number was determined by qPCR. Functional validations were performed either by siRNAs or by transfection of an expression plasmid. Results Genes adjacent to the dhfr locus and included in the 5q14 amplicon were overexpressed in HT29 MTX-resistant cells. Treatment with siRNAs against those genes caused a slight reduction in cell viability in both HT29 sensitive and resistant cells. On the other hand, microarray analysis of HT29 and HT29 MTX resistant cells unveiled overexpression of caveolin 1, enolase 2 and PKCα genes in resistant cells without concomitant copy number gain. siRNAs against these three genes effectively reduced cell viability and caused a decreased MTX resistance capacity. Moreover, overexpression of E-cadherin, which was found underexpressed in MTX-resistant cells, also sensitized the cells toward
E-cadherin and beta-catenin expression in Epstein-Barr virus-associated gastric carcinoma and their prognostic significance
Koriyama, Chihaya; Akiba, Suminori; Itoh, Tetsuhiko; Sueyoshi, Kazunobu; Minakami, Yoshie; Corvalan, Alejandro; Yonezawa, Suguru; Eizuru, Yoshito
AIM: To examine the role of E-cadherin and beta-catenin in carcinogenesis and to assess their prognostic implication in Epstein-Barr virus-associated gastric carcinomas (EBV-GCs). METHODS: We compared the frequency of E-cadherin and beta-catenin expression in 59 EBV-GCs and 120 non-EBV-GCs, and examined the association between patients' prognosis and the expressions of these proteins. RESULTS: Neither the cellular-membranous nor the cytoplasmic E-cadherin expression showed any difference between EBV-GCs and non-EBV-GCs. On the other hand, loss of membranous expression of beta-catenin occurred more frequently in non-EBV-GCs than EBV-GCs [odds ratio = 0.41; 95% confidence interval (CI), 0.19-0.90]. Furthermore, the nuclear and/or cytoplosmic expression of beta-catenin was seen more frequently in EBV-GCs than non-EBV-GCs (odds ratio = 2.23; 95% CI, 0.97-5.09), and was observed in a larger proportion of carcinoma cells of EBV-GCs than non-EBV-GCs (P = 0.024). Survival analysis for non-EBV-GC revealed that lymph node metastasis was significantly associated with poor prognosis (P < 0.001). Among EBV-GCs, the depth of invasion (P = 0.005), lymph node metastasis (P = 0.004) and an intestinal type by Lauren classification (hazard ratio = 9.47; 95% CI, 2.67-33.6) were significantly associated with poor prognosis. On the other hand, nuclear and/or cytoplasmic expression of beta-catenin was associated with a better prognosis in patients with EBV-GC (hazard ratio = 0.32; 95% CI, 0.11-0.93). CONCLUSION: We observed more frequent preservation of beta-catenin in cell membrane and accumulation in nuclei and/or cytoplasm in EBV-GCs than in non-EBV-GCs. Factors involved in the prognosis of EBV-GCs and non-EBV-GCs are different in the two conditions. PMID:17663505
Coordination of cell signaling, chromatin remodeling, histone modifications, and regulator recruitment in human matrix metalloproteinase 9 gene transcription.
Ma, Zhendong; Shah, Reesha C; Chang, Mi Jung; Benveniste, Etty N
Transcriptional activation of eukaryotic genes depends on the precise and ordered recruitment of activators, chromatin modifiers/remodelers, coactivators, and general transcription factors to the promoters of target genes. Using the human matrix metalloproteinase 9 (MMP-9) gene as a model system, we investigated the sequential assembly and dynamic formation of transcription complexes on a human promoter under the influence of mitogen signaling. We find that, coincident with activation of the MMP-9 gene, activators, chromatin remodeling complexes, and coactivators are recruited to the preassembled MMP-9 promoter in a stepwise and coordinated order, which is dependent on activation of MEK-1/extracellular signal-regulated kinase and NF-kappa B signaling pathways. Conversely, corepressor complexes are released from the MMP-9 promoter after transcriptional activation. Histone modifications shift from repressive to permissive modifications concurrent with activation of the MMP-9 gene. Chromatin remodeling induced by Brg-1 is required for MMP-9 gene transcription, which is concomitant with initiation of transcription. Therefore, coordination of cell signaling, chromatin remodeling, histone modifications, and stepwise recruitment of transcription regulators is critical to precisely regulate MMP-9 gene transcription in a temporally and spatially dependent manner. Given the important role of MMP-9 in both normal development and pathological conditions, understanding MMP-9 gene regulation is of great relevance.
Allosteric Regulation of the Hsp90 Dynamics and Stability by Client Recruiter Cochaperones: Protein Structure Network Modeling
Blacklock, Kristin; Verkhivker, Gennady M.
The fundamental role of the Hsp90 chaperone in supporting functional activity of diverse protein clients is anchored by specific cochaperones. A family of immune sensing client proteins is delivered to the Hsp90 system with the aid of cochaperones Sgt1 and Rar1 that act cooperatively with Hsp90 to form allosterically regulated dynamic complexes. In this work, functional dynamics and protein structure network modeling are combined to dissect molecular mechanisms of Hsp90 regulation by the client recruiter cochaperones. Dynamic signatures of the Hsp90-cochaperone complexes are manifested in differential modulation of the conformational mobility in the Hsp90 lid motif. Consistent with the experiments, we have determined that targeted reorganization of the lid dynamics is a unifying characteristic of the client recruiter cochaperones. Protein network analysis of the essential conformational space of the Hsp90-cochaperone motions has identified structurally stable interaction communities, interfacial hubs and key mediating residues of allosteric communication pathways that act concertedly with the shifts in conformational equilibrium. The results have shown that client recruiter cochaperones can orchestrate global changes in the dynamics and stability of the interaction networks that could enhance the ATPase activity and assist in the client recruitment. The network analysis has recapitulated a broad range of structural and mutagenesis experiments, particularly clarifying the elusive role of Rar1 as a regulator of the Hsp90 interactions and a stability enhancer of the Hsp90-cochaperone complexes. Small-world organization of the interaction networks in the Hsp90 regulatory complexes gives rise to a strong correspondence between highly connected local interfacial hubs, global mediator residues of allosteric interactions and key functional hot spots of the Hsp90 activity. We have found that cochaperone-induced conformational changes in Hsp90 may be determined by specific
'P-cadherin functional role is dependent on E-cadherin cellular context: a proof of concept using the breast cancer model'.
This article corrects: P-cadherin functional role is dependent on E-cadherin cellular context: a proof of concept using the breast cancer model Volume 229, Issue 5, 705–718, Article first published online: 24 January 2013. By Ana Sofia Ribeiro, Bárbara Sousa, Laura Carreto, Nuno Mendes, Ana Rita Nobre, Sara Ricardo, André Albergaria, Jorge F Cameselle-Teijeiro, Rene Gerhard, Ola Söderberg, Raquel Seruca, Manuel A Santos, Fernando Schmitt and Joana Paredes, J Pathol 2013; 229: 708–718. DOI: 10.1002/path.4143. The above article, published online on 24 January 2013 on Wiley Online Library (wileyonlinelibrary.com). The funding information, "This work was also funded by FEDER funds through the Operational Programme for Competitiveness Factors - COMPETE (FCOMP-01-0124-FEDER-021209)." was omitted from the Acknowledgements section. We apologise for any inconvenience caused.
Hypoxia-induced vasculogenic mimicry formation in human colorectal cancer cells: Involvement of HIF-1a, Claudin-4, and E-cadherin and Vimentin
Li, Wen; Zong, ShaoQi; Shi, Qi; Li, HongJia; Xu, Jian; Hou, Fenggang
Vasculogenic mimicry (VM) plays an important role in colorectal cancer (CRC) metastasis, and both hypoxia and the epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) are necessary for VM. In this study, HIF-1α expression was upregulated in the VM-positive CRC cell line HCT-116 and thereby affected the expression of the EMT-related markers Claudin-4, E-cadherin (E-cd) and Vimentin(VIM). SB431542 and U0126EtOH, which can inhibit of EMT were used to treat HCT-116 and HCT-8 in these experiments. Both of the inhibitors had significant effect on EMT markers and the formations of VM in CRC cells. In addition, knockdown of HIF-1α in the HCT-116 cells inhibited their capacity for VM. Our study reveals a regulatory role for HIF-1α in VM and suggests that targeting either HIF-1α or EMT may be a valuable strategy for the elimination of CRC metastasis. PMID:27869227
VAV1 represses E-cadherin expression through the transactivation of Snail and Slug: a potential mechanism for aberrant epithelial to mesenchymal transition in human epithelial ovarian cancer.
Wakahashi, Senn; Sudo, Tamotsu; Oka, Noriko; Ueno, Sayaka; Yamaguchi, Satoshi; Fujiwara, Kiyoshi; Ohbayashi, Chiho; Nishimura, Ryuichiro
Ovarian cancer is the most lethal gynecological malignancy in the western world. Although patients with early-stage ovarian cancer generally have a good prognosis, approximately 20%-30% of patients will die of the disease, and 5-year recurrence rates are 25%-45%, highlighting the need for improved detection and treatment. We investigated the role of VAV1, a protein with guanine nucleotide exchange factor activity, which is associated with survival in patients with early-stage ovarian cancer (International of Obstetrics and Gynecology [FIGO] stages I and II). We analyzed 88 samples from patients with primary epithelial ovarian cancer, which were divided into FIGO stages I and II (n = 46), and III and IV (n = 42). Prognostic analysis revealed that upregulated VAV1 expression correlated significantly with poor prognosis in patients with early-stage epithelial ovarian cancer (P ≤ 0.05), but not with other clinicopathologic features. Stable overexpression of VAV1 in human high-grade serous ovarian cancer SKOV3 cells induced morphologic changes indicative of loss of intercellular adhesions and organized actin stress fibers. Western blotting and real-time reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction demonstrated that these cells had downregulated E-cadherin protein and messenger RNA levels, respectively. This downregulation is associated with epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) and invasive cancer. Furthermore, VAV1 overexpression in both SKOV3 and human ovarian surface epithelial cells demonstrated that its upregulation of an E-cadherin transcriptional repressor, Snail and Slug, was not confined to ovarian cancer cells. Conversely, knockdown of VAV1 by RNA interference reduced Snail and Slug. Our findings suggest that VAV1 may play a role in the EMT of ovarian cancer, and may serve as a potential therapeutic target.
A correlation between altered O-GlcNAcylation, migration and with changes in E-cadherin levels in ovarian cancer cells
Jin, Feng-zhen; Yu, Chao; Zhao, De-zhang; Wu, Ming-jun; Yang, Zhu
O-GlcNAcylation is a dynamic and reversible posttranslational modification of nuclear and cytoplasmic proteins. In recent years, the roles of O-GlcNAcylation in several human malignant tumors have been investigated, and O-GlcNAcylation was found to be linked to cellular features relevant to metastasis. In this study, we modeled four diverse ovarian cancer cells and investigated the effects of O-GlcNAcylation on ovarian cancer cell migration. We found that total O-GlcNAcylation level was elevated in HO-8910PM cells compared to OVCAR3 cells. Additionally, through altering the total O-GlcNAcylation level by OGT silencing or OGA inhibition, we found that the migration of OVCAR3 cells was dramatically enhanced by PUGNAc and Thiamet G treatment, and the migration ability of HO-8910PM cells was significantly inhibited by OGT silencing. Furthermore, we also found that the expression of E-cadherin, an O-GlcNAcylated protein in ovarian cancer cells, was reduced by OGA inhibition in OVCAR3 cells and elevated by OGT silencing in HO-8910PM cells. These results indicate that O-GlcNAcylation could enhance ovarian cancer cell migration and decrease the expression of E-cadherin. Our studies also suggest that O-GlcNAcylation might become another potential target for the therapy of ovarian cancer. -- Highlights: • We examine the migration potential of diverse ovarian cancer cells. • We examine the total O-GlcNAcylation level of diverse ovarian cancer cells. • Increasing O-GlcNAcylation level will enhance the migration of ovarian cancer cells. • Reducing O-GlcNAcylation level will inhibit the migration of ovarian cancer cells. • The mechanism explains O-GlcNAcylation enhance ovarian cancer cell migration.
The mucin epiglycanin on TA3/Ha carcinoma cells prevents alpha 6 beta 4- mediated adhesion to laminin and kalinin and E-cadherin-mediated cell- cell interaction
TA3/Ha murine mammary carcinoma cells grow in suspension, do not adhere to extracellular matrix molecules, but do adhere to hepatocytes and form liver metastases upon intraportal injection. Recently we showed that the integrin alpha 6 beta 4 on the TA3/Ha cells is involved in adhesion to hepatocytes. However, despite high cell surface levels of alpha 6 beta 4, TA3/Ha cells do not adhere to the alpha 6 beta 4 ligands laminin and kalinin. Here we show that this is due to the mucin epiglycanin that is highly expressed on TA3/Ha cells. Some monoclonal antibodies generated against epiglycanin induced capping of most of the epiglycanin molecules. TA3/Ha cells treated with these mAb did adhere to laminin and kalinin, and an epithelial monolayer was formed on kalinin, with alpha 6 beta 4 localized in HD1-containing hemidesmosome- like structures and E-cadherin at the cell-cell contact sites. Similar results were obtained after treatment of TA3/Ha cells with O- sialoglycoprotein endopeptidase which removes all epiglycanin. In addition, the enzyme induced E-cadherin-mediated cell-cell aggregation. Both treatments also enhanced the adhesion to hepatocytes, but given the potent antiadhesive effect of epiglycanin it is remarkable that nontreated TA3/Ha cells adhere to hepatocytes at all. We found that during this interaction, epiglycanin was redistributed. We conclude that epiglycanin can completely prevent both intercellular and matrix adhesion, but that this effect can be overcome in certain intercellular interactions because of the induced redistribution of the mucin. PMID:7528749
Germline E-cadherin mutations in hereditary diffuse gastric cancer: assessment of 42 new families and review of genetic screening criteria
Brooks-Wilson, A; Kaurah, P; Suriano, G; Leach, S; Senz, J; Grehan, N; Butterfield, Y; Jeyes, J; Schinas, J; Bacani, J; Kelsey, M; Ferreira, P; MacGillivray, B; MacLeod, P; Micek, M; Ford, J; Foulkes, W; Australie, K; Greenberg, C; LaPointe, M; Gilpin, C; Nikkel, S; Gilchrist, D; Hughes, R; Jackson, C; Monaghan, K; Oliveira, M; Seruca, R; Gallinger, S; Caldas, C; Huntsman, D
Background: Mutations in the E-cadherin (CDH1) gene are a well documented cause of hereditary diffuse gastric cancer (HDGC). Development of evidence based guidelines for CDH1 screening for HDGC have been complicated by its rarity, variable penetrance, and lack of founder mutations. Methods: Forty three new gastric cancer (GC) families were ascertained from multiple sources. In 42 of these families at least one gastric cancer was pathologically confirmed to be a diffuse gastric cancer (DGC); the other family had intestinal type gastric cancers. Screening of the entire coding region of the CDH1 gene and all intron/exon boundaries was performed by bi-directional sequencing. Results: Novel mutations were found in 13 of the 42 DGC families (31% overall). Twelve of these mutations occur among the 25 families with multiple cases of gastric cancer and with pathologic confirmation of diffuse gastric cancer phenotype in at least one individual under the age of 50 years. The mutations found include small insertions and deletions, splice site mutations, and three non-conservative amino acid substitutions (A298T, W409R, and R732Q). All three missense mutations conferred loss of E-cadherin function in in vitro assays. Multiple cases of breast cancers including pathologically confirmed lobular breast cancers were observed both in mutation positive and negative families. Conclusion: Germline truncating CDH1 mutations are found in 48% of families with multiple cases of gastric cancer and at least one documented case of DGC in an individual under 50 years of age. We recommend that these criteria be used for selecting families for CDH1 mutational analysis. PMID:15235021
Downregulated MicroRNA-200a in Meningiomas Promotes Tumor Growth by Reducing E-Cadherin and Activating the Wnt/β-Catenin Signaling Pathway▿
Saydam, Okay; Shen, Yiping; Würdinger, Thomas; Senol, Ozlem; Boke, Elvan; James, Marianne F.; Tannous, Bakhos A.; Stemmer-Rachamimov, Anat O.; Yi, Ming; Stephens, Robert M.; Fraefel, Cornel; Gusella, James F.; Krichevsky, Anna M.; Breakefield, Xandra O.
Meningiomas, one of the most common human brain tumors, are derived from arachnoidal cells associated with brain meninges, are usually benign, and are frequently associated with neurofibromatosis type 2. Here, we define a typical human meningioma microRNA (miRNA) profile and characterize the effects of one downregulated miRNA, miR-200a, on tumor growth. Elevated levels of miR-200a inhibited meningioma cell growth in culture and in a tumor model in vivo. Upregulation of miR-200a decreased the expression of transcription factors ZEB1 and SIP1, with consequent increased expression of E-cadherin, an adhesion protein associated with cell differentiation. Downregulation of miR-200a in meningiomas and arachnoidal cells resulted in increased expression of β-catenin and cyclin D1 involved in cell proliferation. miR-200a was found to directly target β-catenin mRNA, thereby inhibiting its translation and blocking Wnt/β-catenin signaling, which is frequently involved in cancer. A direct correlation was found between the downregulation of miR-200a and the upregulation of β-catenin in human meningioma samples. Thus, miR-200a appears to act as a multifunctional tumor suppressor miRNA in meningiomas through effects on the E-cadherin and Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathways. This reveals a previously unrecognized signaling cascade involved in meningioma tumor development and highlights a novel molecular interaction between miR-200a and Wnt signaling, thereby providing insights into novel therapies for meningiomas. PMID:19703993
Dithiolethione modified valproate and diclofenac increase E-cadherin expression and decrease proliferation of non-small cell lung cancer cells
Moody, Terry W.; Switzer, Christopher; Santana-Flores, Wilmarie; Ridnour, Lisa A.; Berna, Marc; Thill, Michelle; Jensen, Robert T.; Sparatore, Anna; Del Soldato, Piero; Yeh, Grace C; Roberts, David D.; Giaccone, Giuseppe; Wink, David A.
The effects of dithiolethione-modified valproate, diclofenac and sulindac on non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) cells were investigated. Sulfur(S)-valproate and S-diclofenac at 1 μg/ml concentrations significantly reduced prostaglandin (PG)E2 levels in NSCLC cell lines A549 and NCI-H1299 as did the COX-2 inhibitor DuP-697. In vitro, S-valproate, S-diclofenac and S-sulindac half-maximally inhibited the clonal growth of NCI-H1299 cells at 6, 6 and 15 μg/ml, respectively. Using the MTT assay, 10 μg/ml S-valproate, NO-aspirin and Cay10404, a selective COX-2 inhibitor, but not SC-560, a selective COX-1 inhibitor, inhibited the growth of A549 cells. In vivo, 18 mg/kg i.p. of S-valproate and S-diclofenac, but not S-sulindac, significantly inhibited A549 or NCI-H1299 xenograft proliferation in nude mice, but had no effect on the nude mouse body weight. The mechanism by which S-valproate and S-diclofenac inhibited the growth of NSCLC cells was investigated. Nitric oxide-aspirin but not S-valproate caused apoptosis of NSCLC cells. By Western blot, S-valproate and S-diclofenac increased E-cadherin but reduced vimentin and ZEB1 (a transcriptional suppressor of E-cadherin) protein expression in NSCLC cells. Because S-valproate and S-diclofenac inhibit the growth of NSCLC cells and reduce PGE2 levels, they may prove beneficial in the chemoprevention and/or therapy of NSCLC, PMID:19628293
FANCI Regulates Recruitment of the FA Core Complex at Sites of DNA Damage Independently of FANCD2.
Castella, Maria; Jacquemont, Celine; Thompson, Elizabeth L; Yeo, Jung Eun; Cheung, Ronald S; Huang, Jen-Wei; Sobeck, Alexandra; Hendrickson, Eric A; Taniguchi, Toshiyasu
The Fanconi anemia (FA)-BRCA pathway mediates repair of DNA interstrand crosslinks. The FA core complex, a multi-subunit ubiquitin ligase, participates in the detection of DNA lesions and monoubiquitinates two downstream FA proteins, FANCD2 and FANCI (or the ID complex). However, the regulation of the FA core complex itself is poorly understood. Here we show that the FA core complex proteins are recruited to sites of DNA damage and form nuclear foci in S and G2 phases of the cell cycle. ATR kinase activity, an intact FA core complex and FANCM-FAAP24 were crucial for this recruitment. Surprisingly, FANCI, but not its partner FANCD2, was needed for efficient FA core complex foci formation. Monoubiquitination or ATR-dependent phosphorylation of FANCI were not required for the FA core complex recruitment, but FANCI deubiquitination by USP1 was. Additionally, BRCA1 was required for efficient FA core complex foci formation. These findings indicate that FANCI functions upstream of FA core complex recruitment independently of FANCD2, and alter the current view of the FA-BRCA pathway.
Aurora-A recruitment and centrosomal maturation are regulated by a Golgi-activated pool of Src during G2
Barretta, Maria Luisa; Spano, Daniela; D'Ambrosio, Chiara; Cervigni, Romina Ines; Scaloni, Andrea; Corda, Daniela; Colanzi, Antonino
The Golgi apparatus is composed of stacks of cisternae laterally connected by tubules to form a ribbon-like structure. At the onset of mitosis, the Golgi ribbon is broken down into discrete stacks, which then undergo further fragmentation. This ribbon cleavage is required for G2/M transition, which thus indicates that a 'Golgi mitotic checkpoint' couples Golgi inheritance with cell cycle transition. We previously showed that the Golgi-checkpoint regulates the centrosomal recruitment of the mitotic kinase Aurora-A; however, how the Golgi unlinking regulates this recruitment was unknown. Here we show that, in G2, Aurora-A recruitment is promoted by activated Src at the Golgi. Our data provide evidence that Src and Aurora-A interact upon Golgi ribbon fragmentation; Src phosphorylates Aurora-A at tyrosine 148 and this specific phosphorylation is required for Aurora-A localization at the centrosomes. This process, pivotal for centrosome maturation, is a fundamental prerequisite for proper spindle formation and chromosome segregation. PMID:27242098
PEDF mediates pathological neovascularization by regulating macrophage recruitment and polarization in the mouse model of oxygen-induced retinopathy.
Gao, Sha; Li, Changwei; Zhu, Yanji; Wang, Yanuo; Sui, Ailing; Zhong, Yisheng; Xie, Bing; Shen, Xi
Macrophages have been demonstrated to play a proangiogenic role in retinal pathological vascular growth. Pigment epithelium-derived factor (PEDF) works as a powerful endogenous angiogenesis inhibitor, but its role in macrophage recruitment and polarization is largely unknown. To explore the underlying mechanisms, we first evaluated macrophage polarization in the retinas of the oxygen-induced retinopathy (OIR) mouse model. Compared to that in normal controls, M1- and M2-like macrophages were all abundantly increased in the retinas of OIR mice. In addition, both M1 and M2 subtypes significantly promoted neovascularization in vitro and in vivo. In addition, we found that PEDF inhibited retinal neovascularization by dampening macrophage recruitment and polarization. Furthermore, PEDF inhibited macrophage polarization through adipose triglyceride lipase (ATGL) by regulating the activation of MAPKs and the Notch1 pathway, as we found that the phosphorylation of MAPKs, including p38MAPK, JNK and ERK, as well as the accumulation of Notch1 were essential for hypoxia-induced macrophage polarization, while PEDF significantly dampened M1 subtype-related iNOS and M2 subtype-related Arg-1 expression by inhibiting hypoxia-induced activation of Notch1 and MAPKs through ATGL. These findings reveal a protective role of PEDF against retinal neovascularization by regulating macrophage recruitment and polarization.
PEDF mediates pathological neovascularization by regulating macrophage recruitment and polarization in the mouse model of oxygen-induced retinopathy
Gao, Sha; Li, Changwei; Zhu, Yanji; Wang, Yanuo; Sui, Ailing; Zhong, Yisheng; Xie, Bing; Shen, Xi
Macrophages have been demonstrated to play a proangiogenic role in retinal pathological vascular growth. Pigment epithelium-derived factor (PEDF) works as a powerful endogenous angiogenesis inhibitor, but its role in macrophage recruitment and polarization is largely unknown. To explore the underlying mechanisms, we first evaluated macrophage polarization in the retinas of the oxygen-induced retinopathy (OIR) mouse model. Compared to that in normal controls, M1- and M2-like macrophages were all abundantly increased in the retinas of OIR mice. In addition, both M1 and M2 subtypes significantly promoted neovascularization in vitro and in vivo. In addition, we found that PEDF inhibited retinal neovascularization by dampening macrophage recruitment and polarization. Furthermore, PEDF inhibited macrophage polarization through adipose triglyceride lipase (ATGL) by regulating the activation of MAPKs and the Notch1 pathway, as we found that the phosphorylation of MAPKs, including p38MAPK, JNK and ERK, as well as the accumulation of Notch1 were essential for hypoxia-induced macrophage polarization, while PEDF significantly dampened M1 subtype-related iNOS and M2 subtype-related Arg-1 expression by inhibiting hypoxia-induced activation of Notch1 and MAPKs through ATGL. These findings reveal a protective role of PEDF against retinal neovascularization by regulating macrophage recruitment and polarization. PMID:28211523
Regulating infidelity: RNA-mediated recruitment of AID to DNA during class switch recombination.
DiMenna, Lauren J; Chaudhuri, Jayanta
The mechanism by which the DNA deaminase activation-induced cytidine deaminase (AID) is specifically recruited to repetitive switch region DNA during class switch recombination is still poorly understood. Work over the past decade has revealed a strong link between transcription and RNA polymerase-associated factors in AID recruitment, yet none of these processes satisfactorily explain how AID specificity is affected. Here, we review a recent finding wherein AID is guided to switch regions not by a protein factor but by an RNA moiety, and especially one associated with a noncoding RNA that has been long thought of as being inert. This work explains the long-standing requirement of splicing of noncoding transcripts during class switching, and has implications in both B cell-mediated immunity as well as the underlying pathological syndromes associated with the recombination reaction.
Regulating infidelity: RNA-mediated recruitment of AID to DNA during class switch recombination
DiMenna, Lauren; Chaudhuri, Jayanta
The mechanism by which the DNA deaminase AID is specifically recruited to repetitive switch region DNA during class switch recombination is still poorly understood. Work over the past decade has revealed a strong link between transcription and RNA polymerase-associated factors in AID recruitment, yet none of these processes satisfactorily explain how AID specificity is effected. Here we review a recent finding wherein AID is guided to switch regions not by a protein factor but by an RNA moiety, and especially one associated with a non-coding RNA that has been long thought of as being inert. This work explains the long-standing requirement of splicing of non-coding transcripts during class switching, and has implications in both B-cell-mediated immunity as well as the underlying pathological syndromes associated with the recombination reaction. PMID:26799454
Direct Recruitment of ERK Cascade Components to Inducible Genes Is Regulated by Heterogeneous Nuclear Ribonucleoprotein (hnRNP) K*
Mikula, Michal; Bomsztyk, Karol
Components of the ERK cascade are recruited to genes, but it remains unknown how they are regulated at these sites. The RNA-binding protein heterogeneous nuclear ribonucleoprotein (hnRNP) K interacts with kinases and is found along genes including the mitogen-inducible early response gene EGR-1. Here, we used chromatin immunoprecipitations to study co-recruitment of hnRNP K and ERK cascade activity along the EGR-1 gene. These measurements revealed that the spatiotemporal binding patterns of ERK cascade transducers (GRB2, SOS, B-Raf, MEK, and ERK) at the EGR-1 locus resemble both hnRNP K and RNA polymerase II (Pol II). Inhibition of EGR-1 transcription with either serum-responsive factor knockdown or 5,6-dichloro-1-β-d-ribofuranosylbenzimidazole altered recruitment of all of the above ERK cascade components along this locus that mirrored the changes in Pol II and hnRNP K profiles. siRNA knockdown of hnRNP K decreased the levels of active MEK and ERK at the EGR-1, changes associated with decreased levels of elongating pre-mRNA and less efficient splicing. The hnRNP K dependence and pattern of ERK cascade activation at the c-MYC locus were different from at EGR-1. Ribonucleoprotein immunoprecipitations revealed that hnRNP K was associated with the EGR-1 but not c-MYC mRNAs. These data suggest a model where Pol II transcription-driven recruitment of hnRNP K along the EGR-1 locus compartmentalizes activation of the ERK cascade at these genes, events that regulate synthesis of mature mRNA. PMID:21233203
Rac1 regulates skin tumors by regulation of keratin 17 through recruitment and interaction with CD11b+Gr1+ cells
Zhou, Ying; Zhu, Shaojun; Liu, Juanjuan; Wang, Dong; Deng, Anmei; Wang, Zhipeng
Rac1 is a member of the Rho family of small GTPases that control cells proliferation, differentiation, migration, and inflammation. Rac1 is crucial in tumorigenesis and development. Keratin17 and CD11b+Gr1+ cells are considered to regulate skin inflmmation. Here we discuss the regulation of Rac1 on skin tumor formation and its relationship. In samples from human skin squamous cell carcinoma (SCC), Rac1 activity was higher in cancer tissues than in normal skin and activity correlated with keratin 17 overexpression. In a DMBA/TPA-induced mouse skin tumor model, inhibition of Rac1 activity and depletion of CD11b+Gr1+ cells resulted in significant tumor formation. TPA induced recruitment of CD11b+Gr1+ cells into dermis; however, Rac1 inhibitor abolished this recruitment. In vitro, Rac1 induced interferon (IFN) and interlukin (IL6) production in keratinocytes, repression of keratin 17 inhibited IFN and IL6 production induced by Rac1. Moreover, both inhibition of Rac1 activity and repression of keratin 17 restricted proliferation and induction of differentiation in keratinocytes. Coculture of CD11b+Gr1+ cells with keratinocytes activated Wnt pathway in keratinocytes, resulting in enhanced Rac1 activity, overexpression of keratin 17, and hyperproliferation of keratinocytes. Our results suggested that hyperactive Rac1 recruited and interacted with CD11b+Gr1+ cells, inducing keratin 17-regulated inflammation and promoting skin tumor formation. PMID:24962779
Significance of the hedgehog pathway-associated proteins Gli-1 and Gli-2 and the epithelial-mesenchymal transition-associated proteins Twist and E-cadherin in hepatocellular carcinoma
Chun, Hyung Wook; Hong, Ran
It has been found that abnormal activation of the hedgehog (Hh) signaling pathway is involved in the occurrence, invasion and metastasis of malignant tumors. In addition, epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) also performs an important function in the invasion and metastasis of malignant tumors. However, the significance of the Hh signaling pathway and EMT in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) remains unknown. In the present study, the expression of Gli family zinc finger 1 (Gli-1) and Gli family zinc finger 2 (Gli-2), which are key transcriptional factors in the Hh signaling pathway, and Twist and E-cadherin, which are two factors involved in EMT, was examined in 42 patients with HCC and 20 cases of non-tumorous liver (NTL) tissue by immunohistochemistry. Clinicopathological information was collected in order to analyze the correlation of the Hh signaling pathway with EMT. The present study aimed to examine the difference in the expression of Gli-1, Gli-2, E-cadherin and Twist in HCC and NTL to assess the diagnostic value of these factors in HCC. Additionally, the present study aimed to elucidate the correlation between those proteins and other clinicopathological parameters. Whether abnormal activation of the Hh signaling pathway is closely associated with EMT was also evaluated. Gli-1 and Twist expression was found to be significantly increased and E-cadherin expression was found to be decreased in HCC in contrast to NTL (Gli-1, P=0.019; Twist, P=0.003; E-cadherin, P<0.001). Increased Twist expression was associated with the tumor size (P=0.043), and loss of or decreased E-cadherin expression was associated with the histological type of HCC (P=0.021). There was an inverse association between the expression of Twist and E-cadherin (P=0.006). These results showed that Twist overexpression by induction of EMT changes is involved in the occurrence and progression of HCC. However, the role of Hh signaling pathway-associated proteins in HCC may require elucidation by
β-Catenin Serves as a Clutch between Low and High Intercellular E-Cadherin Bond Strengths
Bajpai, Saumendra; Feng, Yunfeng; Wirtz, Denis; Longmore, Gregory D.
A wide range of invasive pathological outcomes originate from the loss of epithelial phenotype and involve either loss of function or downregulation of transmembrane adhesive receptor complexes, including Ecadherin (Ecad) and binding partners β-catenin and α-catenin at adherens junctions. Cellular pathways regulating wild-type β-catenin level, or direct mutations in β-catenin that affect the turnover of the protein have been shown to contribute to cancer development, through induction of uncontrolled proliferation of transformed tumor cells, particularly in colon cancer. Using single-molecule force spectroscopy, we show that depletion of β-catenin or the prominent cancer-related S45 deletion mutation in β-catenin present in human colon cancers both weaken tumor intercellular Ecad/Ecad bond strength and diminishes the capacity of specific extracellular matrix proteins—including collagen I, collagen IV, and laminin V—to modulate intercellular Ecad/Ecad bond strength through α-catenin and the kinase activity of glycogen synthase kinase 3 (GSK-3β). Thus, in addition to regulating tumor cell proliferation, cancer-related mutations in β-catenin can influence tumor progression by weakening the adhesion of tumor cells to one another through reduced individual Ecad/Ecad bond strength and cellular adhesion to specific components of the extracellular matrix and the basement membrane. PMID:24268141
Analysis of cytoskeleton dynamics and cell migration in drosophila ovaries using GFP-actin and E-cadherin-GFP fusion molecules
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Verkhusha, Vladyslav V.; Tsukita, Shoichiro; Oda, Hiroki
Coordination of cell migration and adhesion is essential for movement of tissues during morphogenesis. During Drosophila oogenesis so called border cells (BCs) break from an anterior epithelium of egg chamber, acquire a mesenchymal-like morphology, and migrate posteriorly between nurse cells to oocyte. The confocal microscopic observation of BCs has revealed well-developed forepart lamellipodium stained with Drosophila E-cadherin (DE-cadherin), PS2 integrin, cytoplasmic myosin and F-actin. To investigate mechanism of BC migration in vivo we have constructed a DE-cadherin-GFP and a GFP-actin fusion proteins and induced their expression BCs utilizing the UAS/GAL4 system. The DE-cadherin-GFP signal as well as immunostaining of PS2 integrin visualized a track of migrating BCs providing an evidence that adhesive molecules are pulled out and left behind on the surface of nurse cells. Our data suggest that two distinct adhesive systems, DE-cadherins and PS2 integrins simultaneously mediate the migration of BCs. Release of adhesive contacts in the tail region is a rate- limited event in BC migration. The spatial-temporal sequence of actin-based events visualized by the GFP-actin suggest a treadmilling model for actin behavior in BC lamellipodium. BC migration can be considered as simultaneous reiterating processes of lamellipodium extension and adhesive attachment, cytoskeletal contraction, and rear detachment.
Hsp90 Regulates the Function of Argonaute 2 and Its Recruitment to Stress Granules and P-Bodies
Pare, Justin M.; Tahbaz, Nasser; López-Orozco, Joaquín; LaPointe, Paul; Lasko, Paul
Argonaute proteins are effectors of RNA interference that function in the context of cytoplasmic ribonucleoprotein complexes to regulate gene expression. Processing bodies (PBs) and stress granules (SGs) are the two main types of ribonucleoprotein complexes with which Argonautes are associated. Targeting of Argonautes to these structures seems to be regulated by different factors. In the present study, we show that heat-shock protein (Hsp) 90 activity is required for efficient targeting of hAgo2 to PBs and SGs. Furthermore, pharmacological inhibition of Hsp90 was associated with reduced microRNA- and short interfering RNA-dependent gene silencing. Neither Dicer nor its cofactor TAR RNA binding protein (TRBP) associates with PBs or SGs, but interestingly, protein activator of the double-stranded RNA-activated protein kinase (PACT), another Dicer cofactor, is recruited to SGs. Formation of PBs and recruitment of hAgo2 to SGs were not dependent upon PACT (or TRBP) expression. Together, our data suggest that Hsp90 is a critical modulator of Argonaute function. Moreover, we propose that Ago2 and PACT form a complex that functions at the level of SGs. PMID:19458189
Retinoic acid receptors inhibit AP1 activation by regulating extracellular signal-regulated kinase and CBP recruitment to an AP1-responsive promoter.
Benkoussa, Madjid; Brand, Céline; Delmotte, Marie-Hélène; Formstecher, Pierre; Lefebvre, Philippe
Retinoids exhibit antineoplastic activities that may be linked to retinoid receptor-mediated transrepression of activating protein 1 (AP1), a heterodimeric transcription factor composed of fos- and jun-related proteins. Here we show that transcriptional activation of an AP1-regulated gene through the mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK)-extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) pathway (MAPK(ERK)) is characterized, in intact cells, by a switch from a fra2-junD dimer to a junD-fosB dimer loading on its promoter and by simultaneous recruitment of ERKs, CREB-binding protein (CBP), and RNA polymerase II. All-trans-retinoic acid (atRA) receptor (RAR) was tethered constitutively to the AP1 promoter. AP1 transrepression by retinoic acid was concomitant to glycogen synthase kinase 3 activation, negative regulation of junD hyperphosphorylation, and to decreased RNA polymerase II recruitment. Under these conditions, fra1 loading to the AP1 response element was strongly increased. Importantly, CBP and ERKs were excluded from the promoter in the presence of atRA. AP1 transrepression by retinoids was RAR and ligand dependent, but none of the functions required for RAR-mediated transactivation was necessary for AP1 transrepression. These results indicate that transrepressive effects of retinoids are mediated through a mechanism unrelated to transcriptional activation, involving the RAR-dependent control of transcription factors and cofactor assembly on AP1-regulated promoters.
Retinoic Acid Receptors Inhibit AP1 Activation by Regulating Extracellular Signal-Regulated Kinase and CBP Recruitment to an AP1-Responsive Promoter
Benkoussa, Madjid; Brand, Céline; Delmotte, Marie-Hélène; Formstecher, Pierre; Lefebvre, Philippe
Retinoids exhibit antineoplastic activities that may be linked to retinoid receptor-mediated transrepression of activating protein 1 (AP1), a heterodimeric transcription factor composed of fos- and jun-related proteins. Here we show that transcriptional activation of an AP1-regulated gene through the mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK)-extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) pathway (MAPKERK) is characterized, in intact cells, by a switch from a fra2-junD dimer to a junD-fosB dimer loading on its promoter and by simultaneous recruitment of ERKs, CREB-binding protein (CBP), and RNA polymerase II. All-trans-retinoic acid (atRA) receptor (RAR) was tethered constitutively to the AP1 promoter. AP1 transrepression by retinoic acid was concomitant to glycogen synthase kinase 3 activation, negative regulation of junD hyperphosphorylation, and to decreased RNA polymerase II recruitment. Under these conditions, fra1 loading to the AP1 response element was strongly increased. Importantly, CBP and ERKs were excluded from the promoter in the presence of atRA. AP1 transrepression by retinoids was RAR and ligand dependent, but none of the functions required for RAR-mediated transactivation was necessary for AP1 transrepression. These results indicate that transrepressive effects of retinoids are mediated through a mechanism unrelated to transcriptional activation, involving the RAR-dependent control of transcription factors and cofactor assembly on AP1-regulated promoters. PMID:12052862
Focal adhesion kinase regulates smooth muscle cell recruitment to the developing vasculature
Cheng, Zhaokang; Sundberg-Smith, Liisa J.; Mangiante, Lee E.; Sayers, Rebecca L.; Hakim, Zeenat S.; Musunuri, Srilaxmi; Maguire, Colin T.; Majesky, Mark W.; Zhou, Zhigang; Mack, Christopher P.; Taylor, Joan M.
Objective The investment of newly formed endothelial cell tubes with differentiated smooth muscle cells (SMC) is critical for appropriate vessel formation, but the underlying mechanisms remain unknown. We previously showed that depletion of focal adhesion kinase (FAK) in the nkx2.5 expression domain led to aberrant outflow tract (OFT) morphogenesis and strove herein to determine the cell types and mechanisms involved. Methods and Results We crossed fakloxp targeted mice with available Cre drivers to deplete FAK in OFT SMC (FAKwnt and FAKnk) or coronary SMC (FAKcSMC). In each case, depletion of FAK led to defective vasculogenesis that was incompatible with post-natal life. Immunohistochemical analysis of the mutant vascular structures revealed that FAK was not required for progenitor cell proliferation, survival, or differentiation into SMC, but was necessary for subsequent SMC recruitment to developing vasculature. Using a novel FAK-null SMC culture model, we found that depletion of FAK did not influence SMC growth or survival, but blocked directional SMC motility and invasion toward the potent endothelial-derived chemokine, PDGFBB. FAK depletion resulted in un-stable lamellipodial protrusions due to defective spatial-temporal activation of the small GTPase, Rac-1 and lack of Rac1-dependent recruitment of cortactin (an actin stabilizing protein) to the leading edge. Moreover, FAK null SMC exhibited a significant reduction in PDGF-stimulated extracellular matrix degradation. Conclusions FAK drives PDGFBB-stimulated SMC chemotaxis/invasion and is essential for SMC to appropriately populate the aorticopulmonary septum and the coronary vascular plexus. PMID:21757658
The re-expression of the epigenetically silenced e-cadherin gene by a polyamine analogue lysine-specific demethylase-1 (LSD1) inhibitor in human acute myeloid leukemia cell lines
Murray-Stewart, Tracy; Woster, Patrick M.; Casero, Robert A.
Aberrant epigenetic silencing of tumor suppressor genes is a common feature observed during the transformation process of many cancers, including those of hematologic origin. Histone modifications, including acetylation, phosphorylation, and methylation, collaborate with DNA CpG island methylation to regulate gene expression. The dynamic process of histone methylation is the latest of these epigenetic modifications to be described, and the identification and characterization of LSD1 as a demethylase of lysine 4 of histone H3 (H3K4) has confirmed that both the enzyme and the modified histone play important roles as regulators of gene expression. LSD1 activity contributes to the suppression of gene expression by demethylating promoter-region mono- and dimethyl- H3K4 histone marks that are associated with active gene expression. As most posttranslational modifications are reversible, the enzymes involved in the modification of histones have become targets for chemotherapeutic intervention. In this study, we examined the effects of the polyamine analogue LSD1 inhibitor 2d (1,15-bis{N5-[3,3-(diphenyl)propyl]-N1-biguanido}-4,12-diazapentadecane) in human acute myeloid leukemia (AML) cell lines. In each line studied, 2d evoked cytotoxicity and inhibited LSD1 activity, as evidenced by increases in the global levels of mono- and di-methylated H3K4 proteins. Global increases in other chromatin modifications were also observed following exposure to 2d, suggesting a broad response to this compound with respect to chromatin regulation. On a gene-specific level, treatment with 2d resulted in the reexpression of e-cadherin, a tumor suppressor gene frequently silenced by epigenetic modification in AML. Quantitative chromatin immunoprecipitation analysis of the ecadherin promoter further confirmed that this re-expression was concurrent with changes in both active and repressive histone marks that were consistent with LSD1 inhibition. As hematologic malignancies have demonstrated
BTB-ZF factors recruit the E3 ligase cullin 3 to regulate lymphoid effector programs
Mathew, Rebecca; Seiler, Michael P.; Scanlon, Seth T.; Mao, Aiping; Constantinides, Michael G.; Bertozzi-Villa, Clara; Singer, Jeffrey D.; Bendelac, Albert
The differentiation of several T and B cell effector programs in the immune system is directed by signature transcription factors that induce rapid epigenetic remodeling. We report that PLZF, the BTB-ZF transcription factor directing the innate-like effector program of NKT thymocytes 1,2 was prominently associated with cullin 3 (Cul3), an E3 ubiquitin ligase previously shown to use BTB domain-containing proteins as adaptors for substrate binding 3–7. PLZF transported Cul3 to the nucleus where the two proteins were associated within a chromatin modifying complex. Furthermore, PLZF expression resulted in selective changes of ubiquitination of multiple components of this complex. Cul3 was also found associated with another BTB-ZF transcription factor, Bcl6, which directs the B cell germinal center and the T follicular helper programs. Conditional deletion in mice demonstrated an essential role of Cul3 for the development of PLZF- and Bcl6-dependent lineages. We conclude that distinct lineage-specific BTB-ZF transcription factors recruit Cul3 to alter the ubiquitination pattern of their associated chromatin modifying complex. We propose that this novel function is essential to direct the differentiation of several T and B lymphocyte effector programs, and may also be involved in the oncogenic role of PLZF and Bcl6 in leukemias and lymphomas 8,9. PMID:23086144
Seminal plasma regulates ovarian progesterone production, leukocyte recruitment and follicular cell responses in the pig.
O'Leary, S; Jasper, M J; Robertson, S A; Armstrong, D T
Seminal plasma (SP) acts to influence the uterine endometrium after mating, activating synthesis of embryotrophic cytokines and inflammatory changes that condition the tract for embryo implantation and establishing pregnancy. The objective of this study was to investigate in pigs whether the ovary might also be responsive to SP exposure. Prepubertal gilts were synchronised with exogenous gonadotrophins and received transcervical treatment with pooled boar SP or PBS; then the ovarian tissue was recovered at 34 h (preovulation) and on days 5 and 9 after treatment. The ovarian response was assessed by measuring ovulation rate, number and size of corpora lutea, ovarian leukocyte populations, progesterone production in vivo, as well as responses of retrieved granulosa cells cultured in vitro. In SP-treated gilts, leukocyte recruitment into the ovarian tissues was increased fourfold at 34 h, with macrophages comprising the most abundant cell lineage. There was no effect of SP on the number of oocytes ovulated; however, the weight of corpora lutea was increased in SP-treated gilts. SP also induced an increase in plasma progesterone content seen from day 5 to at least day 9 after treatment. In addition, granulosa cells and thecal tissue retrieved from preovulatory follicles of SP-treated gilts were more responsive in vitro to growth factor- and gonadotrophin-stimulated cell proliferation and progesterone synthesis. These results suggest that uterine exposure to SP influences immune cell trafficking in the ovary and enhances steroidogenesis in early pregnancy. The effects of SP on ovarian function potentially contribute to reproductive success in the pig.
Recruitment of calcineurin to the TCR positively regulates T cell activation.
Dutta, Debjani; Barr, Valarie A; Akpan, Itoro; Mittelstadt, Paul R; Singha, Laishram I; Samelson, Lawrence E; Ashwell, Jonathan D
Calcineurin is a phosphatase whose primary targets in T cells are NFAT transcription factors, and inhibition of calcineurin activity by treatment with cyclosporin A (CsA) or FK506 is a cornerstone of immunosuppressive therapies. Here we found that calcineurin was recruited to the T cell antigen receptor (TCR) signaling complex, where it reversed inhibitory phosphorylation of the tyrosine kinase Lck on Ser59 (Lck(S59)). Loss of calcineurin activity impaired phosphorylation of Tyr493 of the tyrosine kinase ZAP-70 (ZAP-70(Y493)), as well as some downstream pathways in a manner consistent with signaling in cells expressing Lck(S59A) (Lck that cannot be phosphorylated) or Lck(S59E) (a phosphomimetic mutant). Notably, CsA inhibited integrin-LFA-1-dependent and NFAT-independent adhesion of T cells to the intercellular adhesion molecule ICAM-1, with little effect on cells expressing mutant Lck. These results provide new understanding of how widely used immunosuppressive drugs interfere with essential processes in the immune response.
CBX4-mediated SUMO modification regulates BMI1 recruitment at sites of DNA damage
Ismail, Ismail Hassan; Gagné, Jean-Philippe; Caron, Marie-Christine; McDonald, Darin; Xu, Zhizhong; Masson, Jean-Yves; Poirier, Guy G.; Hendzel, Michael J.
Polycomb group (PcG) proteins are involved in epigenetic silencing where they function as major determinants of cell identity, stem cell pluripotency and the epigenetic gene silencing involved in cancer development. Recently numerous PcG proteins, including CBX4, have been shown to accumulate at sites of DNA damage. However, it remains unclear whether or not CBX4 or its E3 sumo ligase activity is directly involved in the DNA damage response (DDR). Here we define a novel role for CBX4 as an early DDR protein that mediates SUMO conjugation at sites of DNA lesions. DNA damage stimulates sumoylation of BMI1 by CBX4 at lysine 88, which is required for the accumulation of BMI1 at DNA damage sites. Moreover, we establish that CBX4 recruitment to the sites of laser micro-irradiation-induced DNA damage requires PARP activity but does not require H2AX, RNF8, BMI1 nor PI-3-related kinases. The importance of CBX4 in the DDR was confirmed by the depletion of CBX4, which resulted in decreased cellular resistance to ionizing radiation. Our results reveal a direct role for CBX4 in the DDR pathway. PMID:22402492
Biophysical regulation of Chlamydia pneumoniae-infected monocyte recruitment to atherosclerotic foci
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Evani, Shankar J.; Ramasubramanian, Anand K.
Chlamydia pneumoniae infection is implicated in atherosclerosis although the contributory mechanisms are poorly understood. We hypothesize that C. pneumoniae infection favors the recruitment of monocytes to atherosclerotic foci by altering monocyte biophysics. Primary, fresh human monocytes were infected with C. pneumoniae for 8 h, and the interactions between monocytes and E-selectin or aortic endothelium under flow were characterized by video microscopy and image analysis. The distribution of membrane lipid rafts and adhesion receptors were analyzed by imaging flow cytometry. Infected cells rolled on E-selectin and endothelial surfaces, and this rolling was slower, steady and uniform compared to uninfected cells. Infection decreases cholesterol levels, increases membrane fluidity, disrupts lipid rafts, and redistributes CD44, which is the primary mediator of rolling interactions. Together, these changes translate to higher firm adhesion of infected monocytes on endothelium, which is enhanced in the presence of LDL. Uninfected monocytes treated with LDL or left untreated were used as baseline control. Our results demonstrate that the membrane biophysical changes due to infection and hyperlipidemia are one of the key mechanisms by which C. pneumoniae can exacerbate atherosclerotic pathology. These findings provide a framework to characterize the role of 'infectious burden' in the development and progression of atherosclerosis.
Sigma-1 receptor mediates cocaine-induced transcriptional regulation by recruiting chromatin-remodeling factors at the nuclear envelope.
Tsai, Shang-Yi A; Chuang, Jian-Ying; Tsai, Meng-Shan; Wang, Xiao-Fei; Xi, Zheng-Xiong; Hung, Jan-Jong; Chang, Wen-Chang; Bonci, Antonello; Su, Tsung-Ping
The sigma-1 receptor (Sig-1R) chaperone at the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) plays important roles in cellular regulation. Here we found a new function of Sig-1R, in that it translocates from the ER to the nuclear envelope (NE) to recruit chromatin-remodeling molecules and regulate the gene transcription thereof. Sig-1Rs mainly reside at the ER-mitochondrion interface. However, on stimulation by agonists such as cocaine, Sig-1Rs translocate from ER to the NE, where Sig-1Rs bind NE protein emerin and recruit chromatin-remodeling molecules, including lamin A/C, barrier-to-autointegration factor (BAF), and histone deacetylase (HDAC), to form a complex with the gene repressor specific protein 3 (Sp3). Knockdown of Sig-1Rs attenuates the complex formation. Cocaine was found to suppress the gene expression of monoamine oxidase B (MAOB) in the brain of wild-type but not Sig-1R knockout mouse. A single dose of cocaine (20 mg/kg) in rats suppresses the level of MAOB at nuclear accumbens without affecting the level of dopamine transporter. Daily injections of cocaine in rats caused behavioral sensitization. Withdrawal from cocaine in cocaine-sensitized rats induced an apparent time-dependent rebound of the MAOB protein level to about 200% over control on day 14 after withdrawal. Treatment of cocaine-withdrawn rats with the MAOB inhibitor deprenyl completely alleviated the behavioral sensitization to cocaine. Our results demonstrate a role of Sig-1R in transcriptional regulation and suggest cocaine may work through this newly discovered genomic action to achieve its addictive action. Results also suggest the MAOB inhibitor deprenyl as a therapeutic agent to block certain actions of cocaine during withdrawal.
Sigma-1 receptor mediates cocaine-induced transcriptional regulation by recruiting chromatin-remodeling factors at the nuclear envelope
Tsai, Shang-Yi A.; Chuang, Jian-Ying; Tsai, Meng-Shan; Wang, Xiao-fei; Hung, Jan-Jong; Chang, Wen-Chang; Bonci, Antonello; Su, Tsung-Ping
The sigma-1 receptor (Sig-1R) chaperone at the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) plays important roles in cellular regulation. Here we found a new function of Sig-1R, in that it translocates from the ER to the nuclear envelope (NE) to recruit chromatin-remodeling molecules and regulate the gene transcription thereof. Sig-1Rs mainly reside at the ER–mitochondrion interface. However, on stimulation by agonists such as cocaine, Sig-1Rs translocate from ER to the NE, where Sig-1Rs bind NE protein emerin and recruit chromatin-remodeling molecules, including lamin A/C, barrier-to-autointegration factor (BAF), and histone deacetylase (HDAC), to form a complex with the gene repressor specific protein 3 (Sp3). Knockdown of Sig-1Rs attenuates the complex formation. Cocaine was found to suppress the gene expression of monoamine oxidase B (MAOB) in the brain of wild-type but not Sig-1R knockout mouse. A single dose of cocaine (20 mg/kg) in rats suppresses the level of MAOB at nuclear accumbens without affecting the level of dopamine transporter. Daily injections of cocaine in rats caused behavioral sensitization. Withdrawal from cocaine in cocaine-sensitized rats induced an apparent time-dependent rebound of the MAOB protein level to about 200% over control on day 14 after withdrawal. Treatment of cocaine-withdrawn rats with the MAOB inhibitor deprenyl completely alleviated the behavioral sensitization to cocaine. Our results demonstrate a role of Sig-1R in transcriptional regulation and suggest cocaine may work through this newly discovered genomic action to achieve its addictive action. Results also suggest the MAOB inhibitor deprenyl as a therapeutic agent to block certain actions of cocaine during withdrawal. PMID:26554014
Arid5b facilitates chondrogenesis by recruiting the histone demethylase Phf2 to Sox9-regulated genes
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Hata, Kenji; Takashima, Rikako; Amano, Katsuhiko; Ono, Koichiro; Nakanishi, Masako; Yoshida, Michiko; Wakabayashi, Makoto; Matsuda, Akio; Maeda, Yoshinobu; Suzuki, Yutaka; Sugano, Sumio; Whitson, Robert H.; Nishimura, Riko; Yoneda, Toshiyuki
Histone modification, a critical step for epigenetic regulation, is an important modulator of biological events. Sox9 is a transcription factor critical for endochondral ossification; however, proof of its epigenetic regulation remains elusive. Here we identify AT-rich interactive domain 5b (Arid5b) as a transcriptional co-regulator of Sox9. Arid5b physically associates with Sox9 and synergistically induces chondrogenesis. Growth of Arid5b-/- mice is retarded with delayed endochondral ossification. Sox9-dependent chondrogenesis is attenuated in Arid5b-deficient cells. Arid5b recruits Phf2, a histone lysine demethylase, to the promoter region of Sox9 target genes and stimulates H3K9me2 demethylation of these genes. In the promoters of chondrogenic marker genes, H3K9me2 levels are increased in Arid5b-/- chondrocytes. Finally, we show that Phf2 knockdown inhibits Sox9-induced chondrocyte differentiation. Our findings establish an epigenomic mechanism of skeletal development, whereby Arid5b promotes chondrogenesis by facilitating Phf2-mediated histone demethylation of Sox9-regulated chondrogenic gene promoters.
Type-specific roles of histone deacetylase (HDAC) overexpression in ovarian carcinoma: HDAC1 enhances cell proliferation and HDAC3 stimulates cell migration with downregulation of E-cadherin.
Hayashi, Akiko; Horiuchi, Akiko; Kikuchi, Norihiko; Hayashi, Takuma; Fuseya, Chiho; Suzuki, Akihisa; Konishi, Ikuo; Shiozawa, Tanri
Histone acetylation/deacetylation controls chromatin activity and subsequent gene transcription. Recent studies demonstrated the activation of histone deacetylases (HDACs) in various human malignancies; however, the expression and function of HDACs in ovarian tumors are not fully understood. In this study, we examined the immunohistochemical expression of HDAC1, HDAC2 and HDAC3 using tissues obtained from 115 cases of ovarian tumors and compared it with that of Ki-67 (a growth marker), p21, and E-cadherin and clinicopathological parameters. In addition, we analyzed the effect of specific siRNA for HDAC1, HDAC2 and HDAC3 on the expression of cell cycle-related molecules and E-cadherin to clarify the functional difference among the 3 HDACs. The results indicated that the immunohistochemical expression of nuclear HDAC1, HDAC2 and HDAC3 proteins increased stepwise in benign, borderline and malignant tumors. The expression of HDAC1 and HDAC2 was correlated with Ki-67 expression and that of HDAC3 was inversely correlated with E-cadherin expression. Among the HDACs examined, only HDAC1 was associated with a poor outcome, when overexpressed. Treatment with HDAC inhibitors suppressed the proliferation of ovarian cancer cells in association with apoptosis. A specific siRNA for HDAC1 significantly reduced the proliferation of ovarian carcinoma cells via downregulation of cyclin A expression, but siRNA for HDAC3 reduced the cell migration with elevated E-cadherin expression. Our results suggested that HDAC1 plays an important role in the proliferation of ovarian cancer cells, whereas HDAC3 functions in cell adhesion and migration. Therefore, specific therapeutic approaches should be considered according to the HDAC subtypes.
Macrophage dynamics are regulated by local macrophage proliferation and monocyte recruitment in injured pancreas.
Van Gassen, Naomi; Van Overmeire, Eva; Leuckx, Gunter; Heremans, Yves; De Groef, Sofie; Cai, Ying; Elkrim, Yvon; Gysemans, Conny; Stijlemans, Benoît; Van de Casteele, Mark; De Baetselier, Patrick; De Leu, Nico; Heimberg, Harry; Van Ginderachter, Jo A
Pancreas injury by partial duct ligation (PDL) activates a healing response, encompassing β-cell neogenesis and proliferation. Macrophages (MΦs) were recently shown to promote β-cell proliferation after PDL, but they remain poorly characterized. We assessed myeloid cell diversity and the factors driving myeloid cell dynamics following acute pancreas injury by PDL. In naive and sham-operated pancreas, the myeloid cell compartment consisted mainly of two distinct tissue-resident MΦ types, designated MHC-II(lo) and MHC-II(hi) MΦs, the latter being predominant. MHC-II(lo) and MHC-II(hi) pancreas MΦs differed at the molecular level, with MHC-II(lo) MΦs being more M2-activated. After PDL, there was an early surge of Ly6C(hi) monocyte infiltration in the pancreas, followed by a transient MHC-II(lo) MΦ peak and ultimately a restoration of the MHC-II(hi) MΦ-dominated steady-state equilibrium. These intricate MΦ dynamics in PDL pancreas depended on monocyte recruitment by C-C chemokine receptor 2 and macrophage-colony stimulating factor receptor as well as on macrophage-colony stimulating factor receptor-dependent local MΦ proliferation. Functionally, MHC-II(lo) MΦs were more angiogenic. We further demonstrated that, at least in C-C chemokine receptor 2-KO mice, tissue MΦs, rather than Ly6C(hi) monocyte-derived MΦs, contributed to β-cell proliferation. Together, our study fully characterizes the MΦ subsets in the pancreas and clarifies the complex dynamics of MΦs after PDL injury.
Endogenous thrombospondin-1 regulates leukocyte recruitment and activation and accelerates death from systemic candidiasis.
Martin-Manso, Gema; Navarathna, Dhammika H M L P; Galli, Susana; Soto-Pantoja, David R; Kuznetsova, Svetlana A; Tsokos, Maria; Roberts, David D
Disseminated Candida albicans infection results in high morbidity and mortality despite treatment with existing antifungal drugs. Recent studies suggest that modulating the host immune response can improve survival, but specific host targets for accomplishing this goal remain to be identified. The extracellular matrix protein thrombospondin-1 is released at sites of tissue injury and modulates several immune functions, but its role in C. albicans pathogenesis has not been investigated. Here, we show that mice lacking thrombospondin-1 have an advantage in surviving disseminated candidiasis and more efficiently clear the initial colonization from kidneys despite exhibiting fewer infiltrating leukocytes. By examining local and systemic cytokine responses to C. albicans and other standard inflammatory stimuli, we identify a crucial function of phagocytes in this enhanced resistance. Subcutaneous air pouch and systemic candidiasis models demonstrated that endogenous thrombospondin-1 enhances the early innate immune response against C. albicans and promotes activation of inflammatory macrophages (inducible nitric oxide synthase⁺, IL-6(high), TNF-α(high), IL-10(low)), release of the chemokines MIP-2, JE, MIP-1α, and RANTES, and CXCR2-driven polymorphonuclear leukocytes recruitment. However, thrombospondin-1 inhibited the phagocytic capacity of inflammatory leukocytes in vivo and in vitro, resulting in increased fungal burden in the kidney and increased mortality in wild type mice. Thus, thrombospondin-1 enhances the pathogenesis of disseminated candidiasis by creating an imbalance in the host immune response that ultimately leads to reduced phagocytic function, impaired fungal clearance, and increased mortality. Conversely, inhibitors of thrombospondin-1 may be useful drugs to improve patient recovery from disseminated candidiasis.
RACK1 regulates mesenchymal cell recruitment during sexual and asexual reproduction of budding tunicates.
Tatzuke, Yuki; Sunanaga, Takeshi; Fujiwara, Shigeki; Kawamura, Kaz
A homolog of receptor for activated protein kinase C1 (RACK1) was cloned from the budding tunicate Polyandrocarpa misakiensis. By RT-PCR and in situ hybridization analyses, PmRACK1 showed biphasic gene expression during asexual and sexual reproduction. In developing buds, the signal was exclusively observed in the multipotent atrial epithelium and undifferentiated mesenchymal cells that contributed to morphogenesis by the mesenchymal-epithelial transition (MET). In juvenile zooids, the signal was first observable in germline precursor cells that arose as mesenchymal cell aggregated in the ventral hemocoel. In mature zooids, the germinal epithelium in the ovary and the pharynx were the most heavily stained parts. GFP reporter assay indicated that the ovarian expression of PmRACK1 was constitutive from germline precursor cells to oocytes. To elucidate the in vivo function of PmRACK1, RNA interference was challenged. When growing buds were incubated with 5 nmol/mL siRNA, most mesenchymal cells remained round and appeared to have no interactions with the extracellular matrix (ECM), causing lower activity of MET without any apparent effects on cell proliferation. The resultant zooids became growth-deficient. The dwarf zooids did not form buds or mature gonads. Prior to RNAi, buds were treated with human BMP4 that could induce PmRACK1 expression, which resulted in MET activity. We conclude that in P. misakiensis, PmRACK1 plays roles in mesenchymal cell recruitment during formation of somatic and gonad tissues, which contributes to zooidal growth and sexual and asexual reproduction.
KSHV encoded LANA recruits Nucleosome Assembly Protein NAP1L1 for regulating viral DNA replication and transcription
Gupta, Namrata; Thakker, Suhani; Verma, Subhash C.
The establishment of latency is an essential for lifelong persistence and pathogenesis of Kaposi's sarcoma-associated herpesvirus (KSHV). Latency-associated nuclear antigen (LANA) is the most abundantly expressed protein during latency and is important for viral genome replication and transcription. Replication-coupled nucleosome assembly is a major step in packaging the newly synthesized DNA into chromatin, but the mechanism of KSHV genome chromatinization post-replication is not understood. Here, we show that nucleosome assembly protein 1-like protein 1 (NAP1L1) associates with LANA. Our binding assays revealed an association of LANA with NAP1L1 in KSHV-infected cells, which binds through its amino terminal domain. Association of these proteins confirmed their localization in specific nuclear compartments of the infected cells. Chromatin immunoprecipitation assays from NAP1L1-depleted cells showed LANA-mediated recruitment of NAP1L1 at the terminal repeat (TR) region of the viral genome. Presence of NAP1L1 stimulated LANA-mediated DNA replication and persistence of a TR-containing plasmid. Depletion of NAP1L1 led to a reduced nucleosome positioning on the viral genome. Furthermore, depletion of NAP1L1 increased the transcription of viral lytic genes and overexpression decreased the promoter activities of LANA-regulated genes. These results confirmed that LANA recruitment of NAP1L1 helps in assembling nucleosome for the chromatinization of newly synthesized viral DNA. PMID:27599637
Drosophila H1 Regulates the Genetic Activity of Heterochromatin by Recruitment of Su(var)3-9
Lu, Xingwu; Wontakal, Sandeep N.; Kavi, Harsh; Kim, Byung Ju; Guzzardo, Paloma M.; Emelyanov, Alexander V.; Xu, Na; Hannon, Gregory J.; Zavadil, Jiri; Fyodorov, Dmitry V.; Skoultchi, Arthur I.
Eukaryotic genomes harbor transposable elements and other repetitive sequences that must be silenced. Small RNA interference pathways play a major role in their repression. Here, we reveal another mechanism for silencing these sequences in Drosophila. Depleting the linker histone H1 in vivo leads to strong activation of these elements. H1-mediated silencing occurs in combination with the heterochromatin-specific histone H3 lysine 9 methyltransferase Su(var)3-9. H1 physically interacts with Su(var)3-9 and recruits it to chromatin in vitro, which promotes H3 methylation. We propose that H1 plays a key role in silencing by tethering Su(var)3-9 to heterochromatin. The tethering function of H1 adds to its established role as a regulator of chromatin compaction and accessibility. PMID:23559249
Herpes simplex virus infects skin gamma delta T cells before Langerhans cells and impedes migration of infected Langerhans cells by inducing apoptosis and blocking E-cadherin downregulation.
Puttur, Franz K; Fernandez, Marian A; White, Rose; Roediger, Ben; Cunningham, Anthony L; Weninger, Wolfgang; Jones, Cheryl A
The role individual skin dendritic cell (DC) subsets play in the immune response to HSV remains unclear. We investigated the effect of HSV on DC virus uptake, viability, and migration after cutaneous infection in vitro and in vivo. HSV increased the emigration of skin DCs from whole skin explants over 3 d postinfection (p.i.) compared with mock controls, but the kinetics of emigration was influenced by the skin DC subset. Uninfected (bystander) Langerhans cells (LCs) were the major emigrant DC subset at 24 h p.i., but thereafter, large increases in infected CD103(+)langerin(+) dermal DC (dDC) and uninfected langerin(-) dDC emigration were also observed. LC infection was confirmed by the presence of HSV glycoprotein D (gD) and was associated with impaired migration from cultured skin. Langerin(+) dDC also expressed HSV gD, but infection did not impede migration. We then followed the virus in live MacGreen mice in which LCs express GFP using a fluorescent HSV-1 strain by time-lapse confocal microscopy. We observed a sequential infection of epidermal cells, first in keratinocytes and epidermal gammadelta T cells at 6 h p.i., followed by the occurrence of HSVgD(+) LCs at 24 h p.i. HSV induced CCR7 upregulation on all langerin(+) DC, including infected LCs, and increased production of skin TNF-alpha and IL-1beta. However, a large proportion of infected LCs that remained within the skin was apoptotic and failed to downregulate E-cadherin compared with bystander LCs or mock controls. Thus, HSV infection of LCs is preceded by infection of gammadelta T cells and delays migration.
Suppression of the metastatic phenotype of a mouse skin carcinoma cell line independent of E-cadherin expression and correlated with reduced Ha-ras oncogene products.
Caulín, C; López-Barcons, L; Gonzáles-Garrigues, M; Navarro, P; Lozano, E; Rodrigo, I; Gamallo, C; Cano, A; Fabra, A; Quintanilla, M
The HaCa4 cell line, derived from a mouse skin carcinoma induced by Harvey murine sarcoma virus, is highly tumorigenic when injected into nude mice and produces multiple metastases in the lungs. HaCa4 cells express high levels of viral Ha-ras oncogene products, anomalously synthesize the embryonic/simple epithelial keratin K8, and have lost the expression of the cell-cell adhesion receptor E-cadherin (E-CD). E-CD(+) cell clones (E62 and E24), obtained by transfection of an exogenous E-CD cDNA into HaCa4 cells, had a decreased ability to migrate through type IV collagen matrices. However, the E-CD (+) E62 clone remained as metastatic as the parental cell line, whereas the E24 clone, which does not take up the exogenous cDNA but spontaneously switches on the endogenous E-CD gene, suppressed the metastatic phenotype although it maintained its tumorigenicity. E24 cells had fivefold to sixfold lower levels of viral Ha-ras mRNA and p21 protein than the other cell lines. In addition, they did not synthesize K8 but rather switched on keratin K19. The comparison of E-CD proteins synthesized by E62 and E24 cell lines revealed no structural or functional differences because both localized at cell-cell contacts and associated with alpha-catenin, beta-catenin, and plakoglobin. Furthermore, E-CD was still expressed in metastatic lung nodules produced by E62 cells. These results suggest that suppression of the metastatic phenotype in E24 cells occurs independently of E-CD expression and correlates with decreased levels of the oncogenic ras p21 protein.
Contribution of cyclin D1 (CCND1) and E-cadherin (CDH1) alterations to colorectal cancer susceptibility: a case-control study.
Govatati, Suresh; Singamsetty, Gopi Krishna; Nallabelli, Nayudu; Malempati, Sravanthi; Rao, Pasupuleti Sreenivasa; Madamchetty, Venkata Kranthi Kumar; Govatati, Sowdamani; Kanapuram, Rudramadevi; Narayana, Nagesh; Bhanoori, Manjula; Kassetty, Kondaiah; Nallanchakravarthula, Varadacharyulu
Cyclin D1 (CCND1) and E-cadherin (CDH1) are two important genes of the β-catenin/LEF pathway that is involved in tumorigenesis of various cancers including colorectal cancer (CRC). However, studies of the association between genetic variants of these two genes and CRC have shown conflicting results. We conducted a genetic association study in South Indian population (cases, 103; controls, 107) to assess the association of CCND1 870G/A and CDH1 -160C/A single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) with CRC risk. Genotyping of SNPs was performed by PCR sequencing analysis. Haplotype frequencies for multiple loci and the standardized disequilibrium coefficient (D') for pair-wise linkage disequilibrium (LD) were assessed by Haploview Software. In addition, to better understand the role of CCND1 and CDH1 in the pathophysiology of CRC, the expression pattern was evaluated in analogous tumor and adjacent normal tissues from 23 CRC patients by Western blot analysis. The frequencies of CCND1 870A/A (P = 0.045) genotype, CDH1 -160A allele (P = 0.042), and 870A/-160A haplotype (P = 0.002) were significantly higher in patients as compared with controls. Strong LD was observed between 870G/A and -160C/A SNPs in cases (D' = 0.76) as compared to controls (D' = 0.32). Furthermore, elevated CCND1 and diminished CDH1 expression was observed in tumor tissue as compared with analogous normal tissue of CRC patients. Interestingly, advanced-stage tumors showed wider expression alterations than in early-stage tumors. In conclusion, CCND1 870G/A and CDH1 -160C/A SNPs may modify the risk of CRC susceptibility in South Indian population. In addition, elevated CCND1 and diminished CDH1 expression appears to be useful prognostic markers for CRC.
The STAR protein QKI-7 recruits PAPD4 to regulate post-transcriptional polyadenylation of target mRNAs
Yamagishi, Ryota; Tsusaka, Takeshi; Mitsunaga, Hiroko; Maehata, Takaharu; Hoshino, Shin-ichi
Emerging evidence has demonstrated that regulating the length of the poly(A) tail on an mRNA is an efficient means of controlling gene expression at the post-transcriptional level. In early development, transcription is silenced and gene expression is primarily regulated by cytoplasmic polyadenylation. In somatic cells, considerable progress has been made toward understanding the mechanisms of negative regulation by deadenylation. However, positive regulation through elongation of the poly(A) tail has not been widely studied due to the difficulty in distinguishing whether any observed increase in length is due to the synthesis of new mRNA, reduced deadenylation or cytoplasmic polyadenylation. Here, we overcame this barrier by developing a method for transcriptional pulse-chase analysis under conditions where deadenylases are suppressed. This strategy was used to show that a member of the Star family of RNA binding proteins, QKI, promotes polyadenylation when tethered to a reporter mRNA. Although multiple RNA binding proteins have been implicated in cytoplasmic polyadenylation during early development, previously only CPEB was known to function in this capacity in somatic cells. Importantly, we show that only the cytoplasmic isoform QKI-7 promotes poly(A) tail extension, and that it does so by recruiting the non-canonical poly(A) polymerase PAPD4 through its unique carboxyl-terminal region. We further show that QKI-7 specifically promotes polyadenylation and translation of three natural target mRNAs (hnRNPA1, p27kip1 and β-catenin) in a manner that is dependent on the QKI response element. An anti-mitogenic signal that induces cell cycle arrest at G1 phase elicits polyadenylation and translation of p27kip1 mRNA via QKI and PAPD4. Taken together, our findings provide significant new insight into a general mechanism for positive regulation of gene expression by post-transcriptional polyadenylation in somatic cells. PMID:26926106
FOG-2 mediated recruitment of the NuRD complex regulates cardiomyocyte proliferation during heart development.
Garnatz, Audrey S; Gao, Zhiguang; Broman, Michael; Martens, Spencer; Earley, Judy U; Svensson, Eric C
FOG-2 is a multi-zinc finger protein that binds the transcriptional activator GATA4 and modulates GATA4-mediated regulation of target genes during heart development. Our previous work has demonstrated that the Nucleosome Remodeling and Deacetylase (NuRD) complex physically interacts with FOG-2 and is necessary for FOG-2 mediated repression of GATA4 activity in vitro. However, the relevance of this interaction for FOG-2 function in vivo has remained unclear. In this report, we demonstrate the importance of FOG-2/NuRD interaction through the generation and characterization of mice homozygous for a mutation in FOG-2 that disrupts NuRD binding (FOG-2(R3K5A)). These mice exhibit a perinatal lethality and have multiple cardiac malformations, including ventricular and atrial septal defects and a thin ventricular myocardium. To investigate the etiology of the thin myocardium, we measured the rate of cardiomyocyte proliferation in wild-type and FOG-2(R3K5A) developing hearts. We found cardiomyocyte proliferation was reduced by 31±8% in FOG-2(R3K5A) mice. Gene expression analysis indicated that the cell cycle inhibitor Cdkn1a (p21(cip1)) is up-regulated 2.0±0.2-fold in FOG-2(R3K5A) hearts. In addition, we demonstrate that FOG-2 can directly repress the activity of the Cdkn1a gene promoter, suggesting a model by which FOG-2/NuRD promotes ventricular wall thickening by repression of this cell cycle inhibitor. Consistent with this notion, the genetic ablation of Cdkn1a in FOG-2(R3K5A) mice leads to an improvement in left ventricular function and a partial rescue of left ventricular wall thickness. Taken together, our results define a novel mechanism in which FOG-2/NuRD interaction is required for cardiomyocyte proliferation by directly down-regulating the cell cycle inhibitor Cdkn1a during heart development.
MAL Is a Regulator of the Recruitment of Myelin Protein PLP to Membrane Microdomains
Bijlard, Marjolein; de Jonge, Jenny C.; Klunder, Bert; Nomden, Anita; Hoekstra, Dick; Baron, Wia
In oligodendrocytes (OLGs), an indirect, transcytotic pathway is mediating transport of de novo synthesized PLP, a major myelin specific protein, from the apical-like plasma membrane to the specialized basolateral-like myelin membrane to prevent its premature compaction. MAL is a well-known regulator of polarized trafficking in epithelial cells, and given its presence in OLGs it was therefore of interest to investigate whether MAL played a similar role in PLP transport in OLGs, taking into account its timely expression in these cells. Our data revealed that premature expression of mCherry-MAL in oligodendrocyte progenitor cells interfered with terminal OLG differentiation, although myelin membrane formation per se was not impaired. In fact, also PLP transport to myelin membranes via the cell body plasma membrane was unaffected. However, the typical shift of PLP from TX-100-insoluble membrane domains to CHAPS-resistant, but TX-100-soluble membrane domains, seen in the absence of MAL expression, is substantially reduced upon expression of the MAL protein. Interestingly, not only in vitro, but also in developing brain a strongly diminished shift from TX-100 resistant to TX-100 soluble domains was observed. Consistently, the MAL-expression mediated annihilation of the typical membrane microdomain shift of PLP is also reflected by a loss of the characteristic surface expression profile of conformation-sensitive anti-PLP antibodies. Hence, these findings suggest that MAL is not involved in vesicular PLP trafficking to either the plasma membrane and/or the myelin membrane as such. Rather, we propose that MAL may regulate PLP's distribution into distinct membrane microdomains that allow for lateral diffusion of PLP, directly from the plasma membrane to the myelin membrane once the myelin sheath has been assembled. PMID:27171274
Transcription factor Foxo3a prevents apoptosis by regulating calcium through the apoptosis repressor with caspase recruitment domain.
Lu, Daoyuan; Liu, Jinping; Jiao, Jianqin; Long, Bo; Li, Qian; Tan, Weiqi; Li, Peifeng
Apoptosis can occur in the myocardium under a variety of pathological conditions, including myocardial infarction and heart failure. The forkhead family of transcription factor Foxo3a plays a pivotal role in apoptosis; however, its role in regulating cardiac apoptosis remains to be fully elucidated. We showed that enforced expression of Foxo3a inhibits cardiomyocyte apoptosis, whereas knockdown of endogenous Foxo3a sensitizes cardiomyocytes to undergo apoptosis. The apoptosis repressor with caspase recruitment domain (ARC) is a potent anti-apoptotic protein. Here, we demonstrate that it attenuates the release of calcium from the sarcoplasmic reticulum and inhibits calcium elevations in the cytoplasm and mitochondria provoked by oxidative stress in cardiomyocytes. Furthermore, Foxo3a is shown to maintain cytoplasmic and mitochondrial calcium homeostasis through ARC. We observed that Foxo3a knock-out mice exhibited enlarged myocardial infarction sizes upon ischemia/reperfusion, and ARC transgenic mice demonstrated reduced myocardial infarction and balanced calcium levels in mitochondria and sarcoplasmic reticulum. Moreover, we showed that Foxo3a activates ARC expression by directly binding to its promoter. This study reveals that Foxo3a maintains calcium homeostasis and inhibits cardiac apoptosis through trans-activation of the ARC promoter. These findings provided novel evidence that Foxo3a and ARC constitute an anti-apoptotic pathway that regulates calcium homeostasis in the heart.
Seminal plasma regulates endometrial cytokine expression, leukocyte recruitment and embryo development in the pig.
O'Leary, S; Jasper, M J; Warnes, G M; Armstrong, D T; Robertson, S A
In pigs, uterine exposure to the constituents of semen is known to increase litter size but the underlying physiological mechanisms remain undefined. Studies in rodents and humans implicate immune modulating moieties in seminal plasma as likely candidates, acting through enhancing the receptivity of the female tract. In this study, the acute and longer term effects of seminal plasma on cytokine expression and leukocyte abundance in the pig endometrium during early pregnancy have been characterised. The reproductive tracts of gonadotrophin-primed pre-pubertal gilts treated with intrauterine infusions of either pooled seminal plasma or phosphate-buffered saline (PBS) were retrieved at 34 h, or on day 5 and day 9 after treatment. Seminal plasma elicited an endometrial inflammatory infiltrate comprised of predominantly macrophages and major histocompatibility complex class II+-activated macrophages and dendritic cells. The abundance of these cells was greatest at the pre-ovulatory (34 h) time-point and their increase relative to PBS-treated tissues was maintained until day 9 after seminal plasma treatment. Seminal plasma induced the expression of the cytokines, granulocyte macrophage colony-stimulating factor, interleukin-6 and monocyte chemoattractant protein-1, and the eicosanoid-synthesising enzyme cyclo-oxygenase-2. Expression was maximal 34 h after treatment but altered expression patterns as a consequence of seminal plasma induction persisted through early pregnancy. These changes were accompanied by altered dynamics in pre-implantation embryo development with an increase in the number of embryos and in their viability after seminal plasma treatment. Together, these findings implicate factors in seminal plasma in programming the trajectory of uterine cytokine expression and leukocyte trafficking during early pregnancy and in regulating pre-implantation embryo development in the pig.
TGFβ signaling in lung epithelium regulates bleomycin-induced alveolar injury and fibroblast recruitment.
Degryse, Amber L; Tanjore, Harikrishna; Xu, Xiaochuan C; Polosukhin, Vasiliy V; Jones, Brittany R; Boomershine, Chad S; Ortiz, Camila; Sherrill, Taylor P; McMahon, Frank B; Gleaves, Linda A; Blackwell, Timothy S; Lawson, William E
The response of alveolar epithelial cells (AECs) to lung injury plays a central role in the pathogenesis of pulmonary fibrosis, but the mechanisms by which AECs regulate fibrotic processes are not well defined. We aimed to elucidate how transforming growth factor-β (TGFβ) signaling in lung epithelium impacts lung fibrosis in the intratracheal bleomycin model. Mice with selective deficiency of TGFβ receptor 2 (TGFβR2) in lung epithelium were generated and crossed to cell fate reporter mice that express β-galactosidase (β-gal) in cells of lung epithelial lineage. Mice were given intratracheal bleomycin (0.08 U), and the following parameters were assessed: AEC death by terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase dUTP-mediated nick-end labeling assay, inflammation by total and differential cell counts from bronchoalveolar lavage, fibrosis by scoring of trichrome-stained lung sections, and total lung collagen content. Mice with lung epithelial deficiency of TGFβR2 had improved AEC survival, despite greater lung inflammation, after bleomycin administration. At 3 wk after bleomycin administration, mice with epithelial TGFβR2 deficiency showed a significantly attenuated fibrotic response in the lungs, as determined by semiquantitatve scoring and total collagen content. The reduction in lung fibrosis in these mice was associated with a marked decrease in the lung fibroblast population, both total lung fibroblasts and epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition-derived (S100A4(+)/β-gal(+)) fibroblasts. Attenuation of TGFβ signaling in lung epithelium provides protection from bleomycin-induced fibrosis, indicating a critical role for the epithelium in transducing the profibrotic effects of this cytokine.
USP8/UBPy-regulated sorting and the development of sperm acrosome: the recruitment of MET.
Berruti, Giovanna; Paiardi, Chiara
The acrosome is a peculiar vacuole that at fertilization undergoes the acrosome reaction (AR), an event unique in the sperm life. Contents released promote sperm penetration through oocyte's investments; membranous components are involved in sperm-egg interaction/fusion. Therefore, both constituents play a role in fertilization. The biogenesis of this vacuole, however, has not been clarified yet; recently, it has been proposed as a novel lysosome-related organelle (LRO). Our research focuses on the involvement of the endosomal pathway in acrosomogenesis starting from the early phases. The trafficking sorted by USP8/UBPy, an endosomal regulator recently described as a compelling candidate for male fertility gene, was investigated in comparison to that of SP56, a marker of the biosynthetic pathway. Mouse spermatids were double/triple immunolabeled and examined by confocal microscopy. The contribution of the vesicular traffic assisted by the cortical microtubule array was also evaluated in nocodazole-treated spermatids. USP8/UBPy-sorted cargo contributes early to acrosomogenesis and its trafficking is microtubule mediated. It was identified, through co-immunoprecipitation/co-immunolocalization assays, that the membrane receptor MET, described herein for the first time in spermatids, as an USP8/UBPy-target substrate is delivered to the acrosome. MET and USP8/UBPy still colocalize in epididymal spermatozoa. Following the AR, MET and USP8/UBPy show a distinct fate. MET, in particular, translocates at the PAS, the post acrosomal segment known to harbor sperm-borne factors involved in oocyte activation. Overall, our results support the concept of the acrosome as a LRO and provide evidence for the identification of MET as a tyrosine kinase receptor that may play a role in fertilization.
NF-κB p65 recruited SHP regulates PDCD5-mediated apoptosis in cancer cells.
Murshed, Farhan; Farhana, Lulu; Dawson, Marcia I; Fontana, Joseph A
Transcription factor NF-κB promotes cell proliferation in response to cell injury. Increasing evidence, however, suggests that NF-κB can also play an apoptotic role depending on the stimulus and cell type. We have previously demonstrated that novel retinoid 4-[3-Cl-(1-adamantyl)-4-hydroxyphenyl]-3-chlorocinnamic acid (3-Cl-AHPC)-mediated apoptosis in breast carcinoma cells requires activation of canonical and non-canonical NF-κB pathways. The mechanism NF-κB uses to induce apoptosis remains largely unknown. NF-κB subunit p65 (RelA) was identified as one potent transcriptional activator in 3-Cl-AHPC-mediated apoptosis in cells. Here we used ChIP-on-chip to identify NF-κB p65 genes activated in 3-Cl-AHPC mediated apoptosis. This paper focuses on one hit: pro-apoptotic protein programmed cell death 5 (PDCD5). 3-Cl-AHPC mediated apoptosis in MDA-MB-468 had three related effects on PDCD5: NF-κB p65 binding to the PDCD5 gene, enhanced PDCD5 promoter activity, and increased PDCD5 protein expression. Furthermore, 3-Cl-AHPC increased orphan nuclear receptor small heterodimer partner (SHP) mRNA expression, increased SHP protein bound to NF-κB p65, and found the SHP/NF-κB p65 complex attached to the PDCD5 gene. PDCD5 triggered apoptosis through increased Bax protein and release of cytochrome C from mitochondria to cytosol. Lastly, knockdown of PDCD5 protein expression blocked 3-Cl-AHPC mediated apoptosis, while over-expression of PDCD5 enhanced apoptosis, suggesting PDCD5 is necessary and sufficient for NF-κB p65 mediated apoptosis. Our results demonstrate a novel pathway for NF-κB p65 in regulating apoptosis through SHP and PDCD5.
Community Regulation: The Relative Importance of Recruitment and Predation Intensity of an Intertidal Community Dominant in a Seascape Context
Rilov, Gil; Schiel, David R.
Predicting the strength and context-dependency of species interactions across multiple scales is a core area in ecology. This is especially challenging in the marine environment, where populations of most predators and prey are generally open, because of their pelagic larval phase, and recruitment of both is highly variable. In this study we use a comparative-experimental approach on small and large spatial scales to test the relationship between predation intensity and prey recruitment and their relative importance in shaping populations of a dominant rocky intertidal space occupier, mussels, in the context of seascape (availability of nearby subtidal reef habitat). Predation intensity on transplanted mussels was tested inside and outside cages and recruitment was measured with standard larval settlement collectors. We found that on intertidal rocky benches with contiguous subtidal reefs in New Zealand, mussel larval recruitment is usually low but predation on recruits by subtidal consumers (fish, crabs) is intense during high tide. On nearby intertidal rocky benches with adjacent sandy subtidal habitats, larval recruitment is usually greater but subtidal predators are typically rare and predation is weaker. Multiple regression analysis showed that predation intensity accounts for most of the variability in the abundance of adult mussels compared to recruitment. This seascape-dependent, predation-recruitment relationship could scale up to explain regional community variability. We argue that community ecology models should include seascape context-dependency and its effects on recruitment and species interactions for better predictions of coastal community dynamics and structure. PMID:21887351
M-phase regulation of the recruitment of mRNAs onto polysomes using the CDK1/cyclin B inhibitor aminopurvalanol.
Le Breton, Magali; Bellé, Robert; Cormier, Patrick; Mulner-Lorillon, Odile; Morales, Julia
Translation under the control of the universal cell cycle regulator CDK1/cyclin B was investigated during the first cell cycle in sea urchin embryos. The CDK1/cyclin B inhibitor aminopurvalanol arrested embryos at the G2/M transition. Polysomal mRNAs were purified from control and arrested embryos, and screened for specific mRNA recruitment or release at M-phase by subtractive hybridization. The polysomal repartition of clones issued from this screen was analyzed. Three specific mRNAs were selectively recruited onto polysomes at M-phase. Conversely, two other specific mRNAs were released from polysomes. The isolation of these translationally regulated mRNAs gives now important tools for insights into the regulation of protein synthesis by the cell cycle regulator CDK1-cyclin B.
PHF20 regulates NF-κB signalling by disrupting recruitment of PP2A to p65
Zhang, Tiejun; Park, Kyeong Ah; Li, Yuwen; Byun, Hee Sun; Jeon, Juhee; Lee, Yoonjung; Hong, Jang Hee; Kim, Jin Man; Huang, Song-Mei; Choi, Seung-Won; Kim, Sun-Hwan; Sohn, Kyung-Cheol; Ro, Hyunju; Lee, Ji Hoon; Lu, Tao; Stark, George R.; Shen, Han-Ming; Liu, Zheng-gang; Park, Jongsun; Hur, Gang Min
Constitutive NF-κB activation in cancer cells is caused by defects in the signalling network responsible for terminating the NF-κB response. Here we report that plant homeodomain finger protein 20 maintains NF-κB in an active state in the nucleus by inhibiting the interaction between PP2A and p65. We show that plant homeodomain finger protein 20 induces canonical NF-κB signalling by increasing the DNA-binding activity of NF-κB subunit p65. In plant homeodomain finger protein 20-overexpressing cells, the termination of tumour necrosis factor-induced p65 phosphorylation is impaired whereas upstream signalling events triggered by tumour necrosis factor are unaffected. This effect strictly depends on the interaction between plant homeodomain finger protein 20 and methylated lysine residues of p65, which hinders recruitment of PP2A to p65, thereby maintaining p65 in a phosphorylated state. We further show that plant homeodomain finger protein 20 levels correlate with p65 phosphorylation levels in human glioma specimens. Our work identifies plant homeodomain finger protein 20 as a novel regulator of NF-κB activation and suggests that elevated expression of plant homeodomain finger protein 20 may drive constitutive NF-κB activation in some cancers. PMID:23797602
Human RNA Polymerase II Promoter Recruitment in Vitro Is Regulated by O-Linked N-Acetylglucosaminyltransferase (OGT).
Lewis, Brian A; Burlingame, Alma L; Myers, Samuel A
Although the O-linked N-acetylglucosamine (O-GlcNAc) modification of the RNA polymerase II C-terminal domain was described 20 years ago, the function of this RNA polymerase II (pol II) species is not known. We show here that an O-GlcNAcylated pol II species (pol IIγ) exists on promoters in vitro Inhibition of O-GlcNAc-transferase activity and O-GlcNAcylation prevents pol II entry into the promoter, and O-GlcNAc removal from pol II is an ATP-dependent step during initiation. These data indicate that O-GlcNAc-transferase activity is essential for RNA pol II promoter recruitment and that pol II goes through a cycling of O-GlcNAcylation at the promoter. Mass spectrometry shows that serine residues 2 and 5 of the pol II C-terminal domain are O-GlcNAcylated, suggesting an overlap with the transcription factor IIH (TFIIH)-dependent serine 5 phosphorylation events during initiation and P-TEFb (positive transcriptional elongation factor b) events during elongation. These data provide unexpected and important insights into the role of a previously ill-defined species of RNA polymerase II in regulating transcription.
Seasonal regulation of herbivory and nutrient effects on macroalgal recruitment and succession in a Florida coral reef
Collado-Vides, Ligia; Burkepile, Deron E.
Herbivory and nutrient enrichment are drivers of benthic dynamics of coral reef macroalgae; however, their impact may vary seasonally. In this study we evaluated the effects of herbivore pressure, nutrient availability and potential propagule supply on seasonal recruitment and succession of macroalgal communities on a Florida coral reef. Recruitment tiles, replaced every three months, and succession tiles, kept in the field for nine months, were established in an ongoing factorial nutrient enrichment-herbivore exclusion experiment. The ongoing experiment had already created very different algal communities across the different herbivory and nutrient treatments. We tracked algal recruitment, species richness, and species abundance through time. Our results show seasonal variation in the effect of herbivory and nutrient availability on recruitment of coral reef macroalgae. In the spring, when there was higher macroalgal species richness and abundance of recruits, herbivory appeared to have more control on macroalgal community structure than did nutrients. In contrast, there was no effect of either herbivory or nutrient enrichment on macroalgal communities on recruitment tiles in cooler seasons. The abundance of recruits on tiles was positively correlated with the abundance of algal in the ongoing, established experiment, suggesting that propagule abundance is likely a strong influence on algal recruitment and early succession. Results of the present study suggest that abundant herbivorous fishes control recruitment and succession of macroalgae, particularly in the warm season when macroalgal growth is higher. However, herbivory appears less impactful on algal recruitment and community dynamics in cooler seasons. Ultimately, our data suggest that the timing of coral mortality (e.g., summer vs. winter mortality) and freeing of benthic space may strongly influence the dynamics of algae that colonize open space. PMID:27833810
Seasonal regulation of herbivory and nutrient effects on macroalgal recruitment and succession in a Florida coral reef.
Duran, Alain; Collado-Vides, Ligia; Burkepile, Deron E
Herbivory and nutrient enrichment are drivers of benthic dynamics of coral reef macroalgae; however, their impact may vary seasonally. In this study we evaluated the effects of herbivore pressure, nutrient availability and potential propagule supply on seasonal recruitment and succession of macroalgal communities on a Florida coral reef. Recruitment tiles, replaced every three months, and succession tiles, kept in the field for nine months, were established in an ongoing factorial nutrient enrichment-herbivore exclusion experiment. The ongoing experiment had already created very different algal communities across the different herbivory and nutrient treatments. We tracked algal recruitment, species richness, and species abundance through time. Our results show seasonal variation in the effect of herbivory and nutrient availability on recruitment of coral reef macroalgae. In the spring, when there was higher macroalgal species richness and abundance of recruits, herbivory appeared to have more control on macroalgal community structure than did nutrients. In contrast, there was no effect of either herbivory or nutrient enrichment on macroalgal communities on recruitment tiles in cooler seasons. The abundance of recruits on tiles was positively correlated with the abundance of algal in the ongoing, established experiment, suggesting that propagule abundance is likely a strong influence on algal recruitment and early succession. Results of the present study suggest that abundant herbivorous fishes control recruitment and succession of macroalgae, particularly in the warm season when macroalgal growth is higher. However, herbivory appears less impactful on algal recruitment and community dynamics in cooler seasons. Ultimately, our data suggest that the timing of coral mortality (e.g., summer vs. winter mortality) and freeing of benthic space may strongly influence the dynamics of algae that colonize open space.
Therapeutic intervention of silymarin on the migration of non-small cell lung cancer cells is associated with the axis of multiple molecular targets including class 1 HDACs, ZEB1 expression, and restoration of miR-203 and E-cadherin expression.
Singh, Tripti; Prasad, Ram; Katiyar, Santosh K
Lung cancer and its metastasis is the leading cause of cancer-related mortality world-wide. Non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) accounts for about 90% of total lung cancer cases. Despite advancements in therapeutic approaches, only limited improvement has been achieved. Therefore, alternative strategies are required for the management of lung cancer. Here we report the chemotherapeutic effect of silymarin, a phytochemical from milk thistle plant (Silybum marianum L. Gaertn.), on NSCLC cell migration using metastatic human NSCLC cell lines (A549, H1299 and H460) together with the molecular targets underlying these effects. Using an in vitro cell migration assay, we found that treatment of human NSCLC cells (A549, H1299 and H460) with silymarin (0, 5, 10 and 20 µg/mL) for 24 h resulted in concentration-dependent inhibition of cell migration, which was associated with the inhibition of histone deacetylase (HDAC) activity and reduced levels of class 1 HDAC proteins (HDAC1, HDAC2, HDAC3 and HDAC8) and concomitant increases in the levels of histone acetyltransferase activity (HAT). Known HDAC inhibitors (sodium butyrate and trichostatin A) exhibited similar patterns of therapeutic effects on the lung cancer cells. Treatment of A549 and H460 cells with silymarin reduced the expression of the transcription factor ZEB1 and restored expression of E-cadherin. The siRNA knockdown of ZEB1 also reduced the expression of HDAC proteins and enhanced re-expression of the levels of E-cadherin in NSCLC cells. MicroRNA-203 (miR-203) acts as a tumor suppressor, regulates tumor cell invasion and is repressed by ZEB1 in cancer cells. Silymarin treatment restored the levels of miR-203 in NSCLC cells. These findings indicate that silymarin can effectively inhibit lung cancer cell migration and provide a coherent model of its mechanism of action suggesting that silymarin may be an important therapeutic option for the prevention or treatment of lung cancer metastasis when administered either
Cutting edge: FYCO1 recruitment to dectin-1 phagosomes is accelerated by light chain 3 protein and regulates phagosome maturation and reactive oxygen production.
Ma, Jun; Becker, Courtney; Reyes, Christopher; Underhill, David M
L chain 3 (LC3)-associated phagocytosis is a process in which LC3, a protein canonically involved in engulfing intracellular materials (autophagy), is recruited to traditional phagosomes during internalization of extracellular payloads. LC3's association with phagosomes has been implicated in regulating microbial killing, Ag processing, and phagosome maturation; however, the mechanism by which LC3 influences these processes has not been clear. In this study, we report that FYVE and coiled-coil domain containing 1 (FYCO1), a protein previously implicated in autophagosome trafficking, is recruited directly by LC3 to Dectin-1 phagosomes. During LC3-associated phagocytosis, FYCO1 recruitment facilitates maturation of early p40phox(+) phagosomes into late LAMP1(+) phagosomes. When FYCO1 is lacking, phagosomes stay p40phox(+) longer and produce more reactive oxygen.
Deletion of 5-Lipoxygenase in the Tumor Microenvironment Promotes Lung Cancer Progression and Metastasis through Regulating T Cell Recruitment
Poczobutt, Joanna M.; Nguyen, Teresa T.; Hanson, Dwight; Li, Howard; Sippel, Trisha R.; Weiser-Evans, Mary C. M.; Gijon, Miguel; Murphy, Robert C.
Eicosanoids, including PGs, produced by cyclooxygenases (COX), and leukotrienes, produced by 5-lipoxygenase (5-LO) have been implicated in cancer progression. These molecules are produced by both cancer cells and the tumor microenvironment (TME). We previously reported that both COX and 5-LO metabolites increase during progression in an orthotopic immunocompetent model of lung cancer. Although PGs in the TME have been well studied, less is known regarding 5-LO products produced by the TME. We examined the role of 5-LO in the TME using a model in which Lewis lung carcinoma cells are directly implanted into the lungs of syngeneic WT mice or mice globally deficient in 5-LO (5-LO-KO). Unexpectedly, primary tumor volume and liver metastases were increased in 5-LO-KO mice. This was associated with an ablation of leukotriene (LT) production, consistent with production mainly mediated by the microenvironment. Increased tumor progression was partially reproduced in global LTC4 synthase KO or mice transplanted with LTA4 hydrolase-deficient bone marrow. Tumor-bearing lungs of 5-LO-KO had decreased numbers of CD4 and CD8 T cells compared with WT controls, as well as fewer dendritic cells. This was associated with lower levels of CCL20 and CXL9, which have been implicated in dendritic and T cell recruitment. Depletion of CD8 cells increased tumor growth and eliminated the differences between WT and 5-LO mice. These data reveal an antitumorigenic role for 5-LO products in the microenvironment during lung cancer progression through regulation of T cells and suggest that caution should be used in targeting this pathway in lung cancer. PMID:26663781
fps/fes knockout mice display a lactation defect and the fps/fes tyrosine kinase is a component of E-cadherin-based adherens junctions in breast epithelial cells during lactation.
Truesdell, Peter F; Zirngibl, Ralph A; Francis, Sarah; Sangrar, Waheed; Greer, Peter A
The fps/fes proto-oncogene encodes a cytoplasmic protein-tyrosine kinase implicated in vesicular trafficking and cytokine and growth factor signaling in hematopoietic, neuronal, vascular endothelial and epithelial lineages. Genetic evidence has suggested a tumor suppressor role for Fps/Fes in breast and colon. Here we used fps/fes knockout mice to investigate potential roles for this kinase in development and function of the mammary gland. Fps/Fes expression was induced during pregnancy and lactation, and its kinase activity was dramatically enhanced. Milk protein and fat composition from nursing fps/fes-null mothers was normal; however, pups reared by them gained weight more slowly than pups reared by wild-type mothers. Fps/Fes displayed a predominantly dispersed punctate intracellular distribution which was consistent with vesicles within the luminal epithelial cells of lactating breast, while a small fraction co-localized with beta-catenin and E-cadherin on their basolateral surfaces. Fps/Fes was found to be a component of the E-cadherin adherens junction (AJ) complex; however, the phosphotyrosine status of beta-catenin and core AJ components in fps/fes-null breast tissue was unaltered, and epithelial cell AJs and gland morphology were intact. We conclude that Fps/Fes is not essential for the maintenance of epithelial cell AJs in the lactating breast but may instead play important roles in vesicular trafficking and milk secretion.
Yeast Protein Phosphatase 2A-Cdc55 Regulates the Transcriptional Response to Hyperosmolarity Stress by Regulating Msn2 and Msn4 Chromatin Recruitment
Reiter, Wolfgang; Klopf, Eva; De Wever, Veerle; Anrather, Dorothea; Petryshyn, Andriy; Roetzer, Andreas; Niederacher, Gerhard; Roitinger, Elisabeth; Dohnal, Ilse; Görner, Wolfram; Mechtler, Karl; Brocard, Cécile
We have identified Cdc55, a regulatory B subunit of protein phosphatase 2A (PP2A), as an essential activating factor for stress gene transcription in Saccharomyces cerevisiae. The presence of PP2A-Cdc55 is required for full activation of the environmental stress response mediated by the transcription factors Msn2 and Msn4. We show that PP2A-Cdc55 contributes to sustained nuclear accumulation of Msn2 and Msn4 during hyperosmolarity stress. PP2A-Cdc55 also enhances Msn2-dependent transactivation, required for extended chromatin recruitment of the transcription factor. We analyzed a possible direct regulatory role for PP2A-Cdc55 on the phosphorylation status of Msn2. Detailed mass spectrometric and genetic analysis of Msn2 showed that stress exposure causes immediate transient dephosphorylation of Msn2 which is not dependent on PP2A-Cdc55 activity. Furthermore, the Hog1 mitogen-activated protein kinase pathway activity is not influenced by PP2A-Cdc55. We therefore propose that the PP2A-Cdc55 phosphatase is not involved in cytosolic stress signal perception but is involved in a specific intranuclear mechanism to regulate Msn2 and Msn4 nuclear accumulation and chromatin association under stress conditions. PMID:23275436
Flow management and fish density regulate salmonid recruitment and adult size in tailwaters across western North America.
Dibble, Kimberly L; Yackulic, Charles B; Kennedy, Theodore A; Budy, Phaedra
Rainbow and brown trout have been intentionally introduced into tailwaters downriver of dams globally and provide billions of dollars in economic benefits. At the same time, recruitment and maximum length of trout populations in tailwaters often fluctuate erratically, which negatively affects the value of fisheries. Large recruitment events may increase dispersal downriver where other fish species may be a priority (e.g., endangered species). There is an urgent need to understand the drivers of trout population dynamics in tailwaters, in particular the role of flow management. Here, we evaluate how flow, fish density, and other physical factors of the river influence recruitment and mean adult length in tailwaters across western North America, using data from 29 dams spanning 1-19 years. Rainbow trout recruitment was negatively correlated with high annual, summer, and spring flow and dam latitude, and positively correlated with high winter flow, subadult brown trout catch, and reservoir storage capacity. Brown trout recruitment was negatively correlated with high water velocity and daily fluctuations in flow (i.e., hydropeaking) and positively correlated with adult rainbow trout catch. Among these many drivers, rainbow trout recruitment was primarily correlated with high winter flow combined with low spring flow, whereas brown trout recruitment was most related to high water velocity. The mean lengths of adult rainbow and brown trout were influenced by similar flow and catch metrics. Length in both species was positively correlated with high annual flow but declined in tailwaters with high daily fluctuations in flow, high catch rates of conspecifics, and when large cohorts recruited to adult size. Whereas brown trout did not respond to the proportion of water allocated between seasons, rainbow trout length increased in rivers that released more water during winter than in spring. Rainbow trout length was primarily related to high catch rates of conspecifics
Myosin-1c regulates the dynamic stability of E-cadherin–based cell–cell contacts in polarized Madin–Darby canine kidney cells
Tokuo, Hiroshi; Coluccio, Lynne M.
Cooperation between cadherins and the actin cytoskeleton controls the formation and maintenance of cell–cell adhesions in epithelia. We find that the molecular motor protein myosin-1c (Myo1c) regulates the dynamic stability of E-cadherin–based cell–cell contacts. In Myo1c-depleted Madin–Darby canine kidney cells, E-cadherin localization was disorganized and lateral membranes appeared less vertical with convoluted edges versus control cells. In polarized monolayers, Myo1c-knockdown (KD) cells were more sensitive to reduced calcium concentration. Myo1c separated in the same plasma membrane fractions as E-cadherin, and Myo1c KD caused a significant reduction in the amount of E-cadherin recovered in one peak fraction. Expression of green fluorescent protein (GFP)–Myo1c mutants revealed that the phosphatidylinositol-4,5-bisphosphate–binding site is necessary for its localization to cell–cell adhesions, and fluorescence recovery after photobleaching assays with GFP-Myo1c mutants revealed that motor function was important for Myo1c dynamics at these sites. At 18°C, which inhibits vesicle recycling, Myo1c-KD cells accumulated more E-cadherin–positive vesicles in their cytoplasm, suggesting that Myo1c affects E-cadherin endocytosis. Studies with photoactivatable GFP–E-cadherin showed that Myo1c KD reduced the stability of E-cadherin at cell–cell adhesions. We conclude that Myo1c stabilizes E-cadherin at adherens junctions in polarized epithelial cells and that the motor function and ability of Myo1c to bind membrane are critical. PMID:23864705
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
Tsemakhov, S. G.
Vestibular recruitment is defined through the analysis of several references. It is concluded that vestibular recruitment is an objective phenomenon which manifests itself during the affection of the vestibular receptor and thus serves as a diagnostic tool during affection of the vestibular system.
ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Gibson, Amy R.
A practical process for developing or improving student recruitment programs for Catholic schools is presented in this handbook. Planning for and preparing the recruitment program is discussed in the first half of the document. The booklet reviews the process of assessing the school, its program, and its image; identifying the financial, material,…
Interferon gamma regulates antigen-induced eosinophil recruitment into the mouse airways by inhibiting the infiltration of CD4+ T cells
We have previously shown that antigen-induced eosinophil recruitment into the tissue of sensitized mice is mediated by CD4+ T cells and interleukin 5. To determine whether interferon gamma (IFN-gamma) regulates antigen-induced eosinophil recruitment into the tissue, we studied the effect of recombinant (r) murine IFN-gamma and of anti-IFN- gamma monoclonal antibody (mAb) on the eosinophil infiltration of the trachea induced by antigen inhalation in mice. The intraperitoneal administration of rIFN-gamma prevented antigen-induced eosinophil infiltration in the trachea of sensitized mice. The administration of rIFN-gamma also decreased antigen-induced CD4+ T cell but not CD8+ T cell infiltration in the trachea. On the other hand, pretreatment with anti-IFN-gamma mAb enhanced antigen-induced eosinophil and CD4+ T cell infiltration in the trachea. These results indicate that IFN-gamma regulates antigen-induced eosinophil recruitment into the tissue by inhibiting CD4+ T cell infiltration. PMID:8093895
Rad17 recruits the MRE11-RAD50-NBS1 complex to regulate the cellular response to DNA double-strand breaks
Wang, Qinhong; Goldstein, Michael; Alexander, Peter; Wakeman, Timothy P; Sun, Tao; Feng, Junjie; Lou, Zhenkun; Kastan, Michael B; Wang, Xiao-Fan
The MRE11-RAD50-NBS1 (MRN) complex is essential for the detection of DNA double-strand breaks (DSBs) and initiation of DNA damage signaling. Here, we show that Rad17, a replication checkpoint protein, is required for the early recruitment of the MRN complex to the DSB site that is independent of MDC1 and contributes to ATM activation. Mechanistically, Rad17 is phosphorylated by ATM at a novel Thr622 site resulting in a direct interaction of Rad17 with NBS1, facilitating recruitment of the MRN complex and ATM to the DSB, thereby enhancing ATM signaling. Repetition of these events creates a positive feedback for Rad17-dependent activation of MRN/ATM signaling which appears to be a requisite for the activation of MDC1-dependent MRN complex recruitment. A point mutation of the Thr622 residue of Rad17 leads to a significant reduction in MRN/ATM signaling and homologous recombination repair, suggesting that Thr622 phosphorylation is important for regulation of the MRN/ATM signaling by Rad17. These findings suggest that Rad17 plays a critical role in the cellular response to DNA damage via regulation of the MRN/ATM pathway. PMID:24534091
A Light-Regulated Genetic Module Was Recruited to Carpel Development in Arabidopsis following a Structural Change to SPATULA[W
Reymond, Mathieu C.; Brunoud, Géraldine; Chauvet, Aurélie; Martínez-Garcia, Jaime F.; Martin-Magniette, Marie-Laure; Monéger, Françoise; Scutt, Charles P.
A key innovation of flowering plants is the female reproductive organ, the carpel. Here, we show that a mechanism that regulates carpel margin development in the model flowering plant Arabidopsis thaliana was recruited from light-regulated processes. This recruitment followed the loss from the basic helix-loop-helix transcription factor SPATULA (SPT) of a domain previously responsible for its negative regulation by phytochrome. We propose that the loss of this domain was a prerequisite for the light-independent expression in female reproductive tissues of a genetic module that also promotes shade avoidance responses in vegetative organs. Striking evidence for this proposition is provided by the restoration of wild-type carpel development to spt mutants by low red/far-red light ratios, simulating vegetation shade, which we show to occur via phytochrome B, PHYTOCHROME INTERACTING FACTOR4 (PIF4), and PIF5. Our data illustrate the potential of modular evolutionary events to generate rapid morphological change and thereby provide a molecular basis for neo-Darwinian theories that describe this nongradualist phenomenon. Furthermore, the effects shown here of light quality perception on carpel development lead us to speculate on the potential role of light-regulated mechanisms in plant organs that, like the carpel, form within the shade of surrounding tissues. PMID:22851763
Flow management and fish density regulate salmonid recruitment and adult size in tailwaters across western North America
Dibble, Kimberly L.; Yackulic, Charles B.; Kennedy, Theodore A.; Budy, Phaedra E.
The mean lengths of adult rainbow and brown trout were influenced by similar flow and catch metrics. Length in both species was positively correlated with high annual flow but declined in tailwaters with high daily fluctuations in flow, high catch rates of conspecifics, and when large cohorts recruited to adult size. Whereas brown trout did not respond to the proportion of water allocated between seasons, rainbow trout length increased in rivers that released more water during winter than in spring. Rainbow trout length was primarily related to high catch rates of conspecifics, whereas brown trout length was mainly related to large cohorts recruiting to the adult size class. Species-specific responses to flow management are likely attributable to differences in seasonal timing of key life history events such as spawning, egg hatching, and fry emergence.
Platelets Regulate the Migration of Keratinocytes via Podoplanin/CLEC-2 Signaling during Cutaneous Wound Healing in Mice.
Asai, Jun; Hirakawa, Satoshi; Sakabe, Jun-ichi; Kishida, Tsunao; Wada, Makoto; Nakamura, Naomi; Takenaka, Hideya; Mazda, Osam; Urano, Tetsumei; Suzuki-Inoue, Katsue; Tokura, Yoshiki; Katoh, Norito
Podoplanin is an endogenous ligand for C-type lectin-like receptor 2 (CLEC-2), which is expressed on platelets. Recent evidence indicates that this specific marker of lymphatic endothelial cells is also expressed by keratinocytes at the edge of wounds. However, whether podoplanin or platelets play a role in keratinocyte activity during wound healing remains unknown. We evaluated the effect of podoplanin expression levels on keratinocyte motility using cultured primary normal human epidermal keratinocytes (NHEKs). Down-regulation of podoplanin in NHEKs via transfection with podoplanin siRNA inhibited their migration, indicating that podoplanin plays a mandatory role in this process. In addition, down-regulation of podoplanin was correlated with up-regulation of E-cadherin, suggesting that podoplanin-mediated stimulation of keratinocyte migration is associated with a loss of E-cadherin. Both the addition of platelets and treatment with CLEC-2 inhibited the migration of NHEKs. The down-regulation of RhoA activity and the up-regulation of E-cadherin in keratinocytes were also induced by CLEC-2. In conclusion, these results suggest that podoplanin/CLEC-2 signaling regulates keratinocyte migration via modulating E-cadherin expression through RhoA signaling. Altering the regulation of keratinocyte migration by podoplanin might be a novel therapeutic approach to improve wound healing.
Regulation of post-embryonic neuroblasts by Drosophila Grainyhead.
Almeida, Mara S; Bray, Sarah J
The Drosophila post-embryonic neuroblasts (pNBs) are neural stem cells that persist in the larval nervous system where they proliferate to produce neurons for the adult CNS. These pNBs provide a good model to investigate mechanisms regulating the maintenance and proliferation of stem cells. The transcription factor Grainyhead (Grh), which is required for morphogenesis of epidermal and tracheal cells, is also expressed in all pNBs. Here, we show that grh is essential for pNBs to adopt the stem cell programme appropriate to their position within the CNS. In grh mutants the abdominal pNBs produced more progeny while the thoracic pNBs, in contrast, divided less and produced fewer progeny than wild type. We investigated three candidates; the Neuroblast identify gene Castor, the signalling molecule Notch and the adhesion protein E-Cadherin, to determine whether they could mediate these effects. Neither Castor nor Notch fulfilled the criteria for intermediaries, and in particular Notch activity was found to be dispensable for the normal proliferation and survival of the pNBs. In contrast E-Cadherin, which has been shown to regulate pNB proliferation, was present at greatly reduced levels in the grh mutant pNBs. Furthermore, ectopic expression of Grh was sufficient to promote ectopic E-Cadherin and two conserved Grh-binding sites were identified in the E-Cadherin/shotgun flanking sequences, arguing that this gene is a downstream target. Thus one way Grh could regulate pNBs is through expression of E-cadherin, a protein that is thought to mediate interactions with the glial niche.
Monoclonal Antibody against the Ectodomain of E-Cadherin (DECMA-1) Suppresses Breast Carcinogenesis: Involvement of the HER/PI3K/Akt/mTOR and IAP Pathways
Brouxhon, Sabine M.; Kyrkanides, Stephanos; Teng, Xiaofei; Raja, Veena; O'Banion, M. Kerry; Clarke, Robert; Byers, Stephen; Silberfeld, Andrew; Tornos, Carmen; Ma, Li
Purpose Although targeted therapies against HER2 have been one of the most successful therapeutic strategies for breast cancer, patients eventually developed acquired resistance from compensatory upregulation of alternate HERs and mitogen-activated protein kinase–phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K)/Akt/mTOR signaling. As we and others have shown that the soluble ectodomain fragment of E-cadherin exerts prooncogenic effects via HER1/2–mediated binding and activation of downstream prosurvival pathways, we explored whether targeting this ectodomain [DECMA-1 monoclonal antibody (mAb)] was effective in the treatment of HER2-positive (HER2+) breast cancers. Experimental Design MMTV-PyMT transgenic mice and HER2+/E-cadherin–positive MCF-7 and BT474 trastuzumab-resistant (TtzmR) cells were treated with the DECMA-1 mAb. Antitumor responses were assessed by bromodeoxyuridine incorporation, apoptosis, and necrosis. The underlying intracellular prooncogenic pathways were explored using subcellular fractionation, immunoprecipitation, fluorescence microscopy, and immunoblotting. Results Treatment with DECMA-1 mAb significantly delayed tumor onset and attenuated tumor burden in MMTV-PyMT mice by reducing tumor cell proliferation and inducing apoptosis without any detectable cytotoxicity to mice or end-organs. In vitro treatment of MCF-7 and BT474 TtzmR cells reduced proliferation and induced cancer cell apoptosis. Importantly, this inhibition of breast tumorigenesis was due to concomitant downregulation, via ubiquitin-mediated degradation through the lysosome and proteasome pathways, of all HER family members, components of downstream PI3K/Akt/mTOR prosurvival signaling and suppression of inhibitor of apoptosis proteins. Conclusions Our results establish that the E-cadherin ectodomain-specific mAb DECMA-1 inhibits Ecad+/HER2+ breast cancers by hindering tumor growth and inducing apoptosis via downregulation of key oncogenic pathways involved in trastuzumab resistance, thereby
Regulation of cyclin D2 gene expression by the Myc/Max/Mad network: Myc-dependent TRRAP recruitment and histone acetylation at the cyclin D2 promoter
Bouchard, Caroline; Dittrich, Oliver; Kiermaier, Astrid; Dohmann, Karen; Menkel, Annette; Eilers, Martin; Lüscher, Bernhard
Myc oncoproteins promote cell cycle progression in part through the transcriptional up-regulation of the cyclin D2 gene. We now show that Myc is bound to the cyclin D2 promoter in vivo. Binding of Myc induces cyclin D2 expression and histone acetylation at a single nucleosome in a MycBoxII/TRRAP-dependent manner. Down-regulation of cyclin D2 mRNA expression in differentiating HL60 cells is preceded by a switch of promoter occupancy from Myc/Max to Mad/Max complexes, loss of TRRAP binding, increased HDAC1 binding, and histone deacetylation. Thus, recruitment of TRRAP and regulation of histone acetylation are critical for transcriptional activation by Myc. PMID:11511535
Differential regulation of blood flow‐induced neovascularization and mural cell recruitment by vascular endothelial growth factor and angiopoietin signalling
Stone, Oliver A.; Carter, James G.; Lin, P. Charles; Paleolog, Ewa; Machado, Maria J. C.
Key points Combining nitric oxide (NO)‐mediated increased blood flow with angiopoietin‐1–Tie2 receptor signalling induces arteriolargenesis – the formation of arterioles from capillaries – in a model of physiological angiogenesis.This NO–Tie‐mediated arteriolargenesis requires endogenous vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) signalling.Inhibition of VEGF signalling increases pericyte coverage in microvessels.Together these findings indicate that generation of functional neovasculature requires close titration of NO–Tie2 signalling and localized VEGF induction, suggesting that the use of exogenous VEGF expression as a therapeutic for neovascularization may not be successful. Abstract Signalling through vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) receptors and the tyrosine kinase with IgG and EGF domains‐2 (Tie2) receptor by angiopoietins is required in combination with blood flow for the formation of a functional vascular network. We tested the hypothesis that VEGF and angiopoietin‐1 (Ang1) contribute differentially to neovascularization induced by nitric oxide (NO)‐mediated vasodilatation, by comparing the phenotype of new microvessels in the mesentery during induction of vascular remodelling by over‐expression of endothelial nitric oxide synthase in the fat pad of the adult rat mesentery during inhibition of angiopoietin signalling with soluble Tie2 (sTie2) and VEGF signalling with soluble Fms‐like tyrosine kinase receptor‐1 (sFlt1). We found that NO‐mediated angiogenesis was blocked by inhibition of VEGF with sFlt1 (from 881 ± 98% increase in functional vessel area to 279 ± 72%) and by inhibition of angiopoietin with sTie2 (to 337 ± 67%). Exogenous angiopoietin‐1 was required to induce arteriolargenesis (8.6 ± 1.3% of vessels with recruitment of vascular smooth muscle cells; VSMCs) in the presence of enhanced flow. sTie2 and sFlt1 both inhibited VSMC recruitment (both 0%), and VEGF inhibition increased pericyte
PAR1 signaling regulates the retention and recruitment of EPCR-expressing bone marrow hematopoietic stem cells
Gur-Cohen, Shiri; Itkin, Tomer; Chakrabarty, Sagarika; Graf, Claudine; Kollet, Orit; Ludin, Aya; Golan, Karin; Kalinkovich, Alexander; Ledergor, Guy; Wong, Eitan; Niemeyer, Elisabeth; Porat, Ziv; Erez, Ayelet; Sagi, Irit; Esmon, Charles T; Ruf, Wolfram; Lapidot, Tsvee
Retention of long-term repopulating hematopoietic stem cells (LT-HSCs) in the bone marrow is essential for hematopoiesis and for protection from myelotoxic injury. We report that signaling cascades that are traditionally viewed as coagulation-related also control retention of EPCR+ LT-HSCs in the bone marrow and their recruitment to the blood via two different protease activated receptor 1 (PAR1)-mediated pathways. Thrombin-PAR1 signaling induces nitric oxide (NO) production, leading to TACE-mediated EPCR shedding, enhanced CXCL12-CXCR4-induced motility, and rapid stem and progenitor cell mobilization. Conversely, bone marrow blood vessels provide a microenvironment enriched with protein C that retain EPCR+ LT-HSCs by limiting NO generation, reducing Cdc42 activity and enhancing VLA4 affinity and adhesion. Inhibition of NO production by activated protein C (aPC)-EPCR-PAR1 signaling reduces progenitor cell egress, increases NOlow bone marrow EPCR+ LT-HSCs retention and protects mice from chemotherapy-induced hematological failure and death. Our study reveals new roles for PAR1 and EPCR that control NO production to balance maintenance and recruitment of bone marrow EPCR+ LT-HSCs with clinical relevance. PMID:26457757
FOXP3+ T Cells Recruited to Sites of Sterile Skeletal Muscle Injury Regulate the Fate of Satellite Cells and Guide Effective Tissue Regeneration
Castiglioni, Alessandra; Basso, Veronica; Vezzoli, Michela; Monno, Antonella; Almada, Albert E.; Mondino, Anna; Wagers, Amy J.; Manfredi, Angelo A.; Rovere-Querini, Patrizia
Muscle injury induces a classical inflammatory response in which cells of the innate immune system rapidly invade the tissue. Macrophages are prominently involved in this response and required for proper healing, as they are known to be important for clearing cellular debris and supporting satellite cell differentiation. Here, we sought to assess the role of the adaptive immune system in muscle regeneration after acute damage. We show that T lymphocytes are transiently recruited into the muscle after damage and appear to exert a pro-myogenic effect on muscle repair. We observed a decrease in the cross-sectional area of regenerating myofibers after injury in Rag2-/- γ-chain-/- mice, as compared to WT controls, suggesting that T cell recruitment promotes muscle regeneration. Skeletal muscle infiltrating T lymphocytes were enriched in CD4+CD25+FOXP3+ cells. Direct exposure of muscle satellite cells to in vitro induced Treg cells effectively enhanced their expansion, and concurrently inhibited their myogenic differentiation. In vivo, the recruitment of Tregs to acutely injured muscle was limited to the time period of satellite expansion, with possibly important implications for situations in which inflammatory conditions persist, such as muscular dystrophies and inflammatory myopathies. We conclude that the adaptive immune system, in particular T regulatory cells, is critically involved in effective skeletal muscle regeneration. Thus, in addition to their well-established role as regulators of the immune/inflammatory response, T regulatory cells also regulate the activity of skeletal muscle precursor cells, and are instrumental for the proper regeneration of this tissue. PMID:26039259
FOXP3+ T Cells Recruited to Sites of Sterile Skeletal Muscle Injury Regulate the Fate of Satellite Cells and Guide Effective Tissue Regeneration.
Castiglioni, Alessandra; Corna, Gianfranca; Rigamonti, Elena; Basso, Veronica; Vezzoli, Michela; Monno, Antonella; Almada, Albert E; Mondino, Anna; Wagers, Amy J; Manfredi, Angelo A; Rovere-Querini, Patrizia
Muscle injury induces a classical inflammatory response in which cells of the innate immune system rapidly invade the tissue. Macrophages are prominently involved in this response and required for proper healing, as they are known to be important for clearing cellular debris and supporting satellite cell differentiation. Here, we sought to assess the role of the adaptive immune system in muscle regeneration after acute damage. We show that T lymphocytes are transiently recruited into the muscle after damage and appear to exert a pro-myogenic effect on muscle repair. We observed a decrease in the cross-sectional area of regenerating myofibers after injury in Rag2-/- γ-chain-/- mice, as compared to WT controls, suggesting that T cell recruitment promotes muscle regeneration. Skeletal muscle infiltrating T lymphocytes were enriched in CD4+CD25+FOXP3+ cells. Direct exposure of muscle satellite cells to in vitro induced Treg cells effectively enhanced their expansion, and concurrently inhibited their myogenic differentiation. In vivo, the recruitment of Tregs to acutely injured muscle was limited to the time period of satellite expansion, with possibly important implications for situations in which inflammatory conditions persist, such as muscular dystrophies and inflammatory myopathies. We conclude that the adaptive immune system, in particular T regulatory cells, is critically involved in effective skeletal muscle regeneration. Thus, in addition to their well-established role as regulators of the immune/inflammatory response, T regulatory cells also regulate the activity of skeletal muscle precursor cells, and are instrumental for the proper regeneration of this tissue.
Hydrogen Sulfide Attenuates the Recruitment of CD11b+Gr-1+ Myeloid Cells and Regulates Bax/Bcl-2 Signaling in Myocardial Ischemia Injury
Zhang, Youen; Li, Hua; Zhao, Gang; Sun, Aijun; Zong, Nobel C.; Li, Zhaofeng; Zhu, Hongming; Zou, Yunzeng; Yang, Xiangdong; Ge, Junbo
Hydrogen sulfide, an endogenous signaling molecule, plays an important role in the physiology and pathophysiology of the cardiovascular system. Using a mouse model of myocardial infarction, we investigated the anti-inflammatory and anti-apoptotic effects of the H2S donor sodium hydrosulfide (NaHS). The results demonstrated that the administration of NaHS improved survival, preserved left ventricular function, limited infarct size, and improved H2S levels in cardiac tissue to attenuate the recruitment of CD11b+Gr-1+ myeloid cells and to regulate the Bax/Bcl-2 pathway. Furthermore, the cardioprotective effects of NaHS were enhanced by inhibiting the migration of CD11b+Gr-1+ myeloid cells from the spleen into the blood and by attenuating post-infarction inflammation. These observations suggest that the novel mechanism underlying the cardioprotective function of H2S is secondary to a combination of attenuation the recruitment of CD11b+Gr-1+ myeloid cells and regulation of the Bax/Bcl-2 apoptotic signaling. PMID:24758901
Specialized sorting of GLUT4 and its recruitment to the cell surface are independently regulated by distinct Rabs.
Sadacca, L Amanda; Bruno, Joanne; Wen, Jennifer; Xiong, Wenyong; McGraw, Timothy E
Adipocyte glucose uptake in response to insulin is essential for physiological glucose homeostasis: stimulation of adipocytes with insulin results in insertion of the glucose transporter GLUT4 into the plasma membrane and subsequent glucose uptake. Here we establish that RAB10 and RAB14 are key regulators of GLUT4 trafficking that function at independent, sequential steps of GLUT4 translocation. RAB14 functions upstream of RAB10 in the sorting of GLUT4 to the specialized transport vesicles that ferry GLUT4 to the plasma membrane. RAB10 and its GTPase-activating protein (GAP) AS160 comprise the principal signaling module downstream of insulin receptor activation that regulates the accumulation of GLUT4 transport vesicles at the plasma membrane. Although both RAB10 and RAB14 are regulated by the GAP activity of AS160 in vitro, only RAB10 is under the control of AS160 in vivo. Insulin regulation of the pool of RAB10 required for GLUT4 translocation occurs through regulation of AS160, since activation of RAB10 by DENND4C, its GTP exchange factor, does not require insulin stimulation.
Recruitment of the Mammalian Histone-modifying EMSY Complex to Target Genes Is Regulated by ZNF131.
Varier, Radhika A; Carrillo de Santa Pau, Enrique; van der Groep, Petra; Lindeboom, Rik G H; Matarese, Filomena; Mensinga, Anneloes; Smits, Arne H; Edupuganti, Raghu Ram; Baltissen, Marijke P; Jansen, Pascal W T C; Ter Hoeve, Natalie; van Weely, Danny R; Poser, Ina; van Diest, Paul J; Stunnenberg, Hendrik G; Vermeulen, Michiel
Recent work from others and us revealed interactions between the Sin3/HDAC complex, the H3K4me3 demethylase KDM5A, GATAD1, and EMSY. Here, we characterize the EMSY/KDM5A/SIN3B complex in detail by quantitative interaction proteomics and ChIP-sequencing. We identify a novel substoichiometric interactor of the complex, transcription factor ZNF131, which recruits EMSY to a large number of active, H3K4me3 marked promoters. Interestingly, using an EMSY knock-out line and subsequent rescue experiments, we show that EMSY is in most cases positively correlated with transcriptional activity of its target genes and stimulates cell proliferation. Finally, by immunohistochemical staining of primary breast tissue microarrays we find that EMSY/KDM5A/SIN3B complex subunits are frequently overexpressed in primary breast cancer cases in a correlative manner. Taken together, these data open venues for exploring the possibility that sporadic breast cancer patients with EMSY amplification might benefit from epigenetic combination therapy targeting both the KDM5A demethylase and histone deacetylases.
Differential binding partners of the Mis18α/β YIPPEE domains regulates the Mis18 complex recruitment to centromeres
Knippler, Christina M.; Foltz, Daniel R.
The Mis18 complex specifies the site of new CENP-A nucleosome assembly by recruiting the CENP-A specific assembly factor HJURP (Holliday junction recognition protein). The human Mis18 complex consists of Mis18α, Mis18β and Mis18 binding protein 1 (Mis18BP1/hsKNL2). Although Mis18α and Mis18β are highly homologous proteins, we find that their conserved YIPPEE domains mediate distinct interactions that are essential to link new CENP-A deposition to existing centromeres. We find that Mis18α directly interacts with the N-terminus of Mis18BP1; whereas, Mis18β directly interacts with CENP-C during G1 phase, revealing that these proteins have evolved to serve distinct functions in centromeres of higher eukaryotes. The N-terminus of Mis18BP1, containing both the Mis18α and CENP-C binding domains, is necessary and sufficient for centromeric localization. Therefore, the Mis18 complex contains dual CENP-C recognition motifs that are combinatorially required to generate robust centromeric localization that leads to CENP-A deposition. PMID:27239045
C5a Regulates IL-1β Production and Leukocyte Recruitment in a Murine Model of Monosodium Urate Crystal-Induced Peritonitis
Khameneh, Hanif J.; Ho, Adrian W. S.; Laudisi, Federica; Derks, Heidi; Kandasamy, Matheswaran; Sivasankar, Baalasubramanian; Teng, Gim Gee; Mortellaro, Alessandra
Gouty arthritis results from the generation of monosodium urate (MSU) crystals within joints. These MSU crystals elicit acute inflammation characterized by massive infiltration of neutrophils and monocytes that are mobilized by the pro-inflammatory cytokine IL-1β. MSU crystals also activate the complement system, which regulates the inflammatory response; however, it is unclear whether or how MSU-mediated complement activation is linked to IL-1β release in vivo, and the various roles that might be played by individual components of the complement cascade. Here we show that exposure to MSU crystals in vivo triggers the complement cascade, leading to the generation of the biologically active complement proteins C3a and C5a. C5a, but not C3a, potentiated IL-1β and IL-1α release from LPS–primed MSU-exposed peritoneal macrophages and human monocytic cells in vitro; while in vivo MSU–induced C5a mediated murine neutrophil recruitment as well as IL-1β production at the site of inflammation. These effects were significantly ameliorated by treatment of mice with a C5a receptor antagonist. Mechanistic studies revealed that C5a most likely increased NLRP3 inflammasome activation via production of reactive oxygen species (ROS), and not through increased transcription of inflammasome components. Therefore we conclude that C5a generated upon MSU-induced complement activation increases neutrophil recruitment in vivo by promoting IL-1 production via the generation of ROS, which activate the NLRP3 inflammasome. Identification of the C5a receptor as a key determinant of IL-1-mediated recruitment of inflammatory cells provides a novel potential target for therapeutic intervention to mitigate gouty arthritis. PMID:28167912
C5a Regulates IL-1β Production and Leukocyte Recruitment in a Murine Model of Monosodium Urate Crystal-Induced Peritonitis.
Khameneh, Hanif J; Ho, Adrian W S; Laudisi, Federica; Derks, Heidi; Kandasamy, Matheswaran; Sivasankar, Baalasubramanian; Teng, Gim Gee; Mortellaro, Alessandra
Gouty arthritis results from the generation of monosodium urate (MSU) crystals within joints. These MSU crystals elicit acute inflammation characterized by massive infiltration of neutrophils and monocytes that are mobilized by the pro-inflammatory cytokine IL-1β. MSU crystals also activate the complement system, which regulates the inflammatory response; however, it is unclear whether or how MSU-mediated complement activation is linked to IL-1β release in vivo, and the various roles that might be played by individual components of the complement cascade. Here we show that exposure to MSU crystals in vivo triggers the complement cascade, leading to the generation of the biologically active complement proteins C3a and C5a. C5a, but not C3a, potentiated IL-1β and IL-1α release from LPS-primed MSU-exposed peritoneal macrophages and human monocytic cells in vitro; while in vivo MSU-induced C5a mediated murine neutrophil recruitment as well as IL-1β production at the site of inflammation. These effects were significantly ameliorated by treatment of mice with a C5a receptor antagonist. Mechanistic studies revealed that C5a most likely increased NLRP3 inflammasome activation via production of reactive oxygen species (ROS), and not through increased transcription of inflammasome components. Therefore we conclude that C5a generated upon MSU-induced complement activation increases neutrophil recruitment in vivo by promoting IL-1 production via the generation of ROS, which activate the NLRP3 inflammasome. Identification of the C5a receptor as a key determinant of IL-1-mediated recruitment of inflammatory cells provides a novel potential target for therapeutic intervention to mitigate gouty arthritis.
Dynamic Regulation of Genes Involved in Mitochondrial DNA Replication and Transcription during Mouse Brown Fat Cell Differentiation and Recruitment
Murholm, Maria; Dixen, Karen; Qvortrup, Klaus; Hansen, Lillian H. L.; Amri, Ez-Zoubir; Madsen, Lise; Barbatelli, Giorgio; Quistorff, Bjørn; Hansen, Jacob B.
Background Brown adipocytes are specialised in dissipating energy through adaptive thermogenesis, whereas white adipocytes are specialised in energy storage. These essentially opposite functions are possible for two reasons relating to mitochondria, namely expression of uncoupling protein 1 (UCP1) and a remarkably higher mitochondrial abundance in brown adipocytes. Methodology/Principal Findings Here we report a comprehensive characterisation of gene expression linked to mitochondrial DNA replication, transcription and function during white and brown fat cell differentiation in vitro as well as in white and brown fat, brown adipose tissue fractions and in selected adipose tissues during cold exposure. We find a massive induction of the majority of such genes during brown adipocyte differentiation and recruitment, e.g. of the mitochondrial transcription factors A (Tfam) and B2 (Tfb2m), whereas only a subset of the same genes were induced during white adipose conversion. In addition, PR domain containing 16 (PRDM16) was found to be expressed at substantially higher levels in brown compared to white pre-adipocytes and adipocytes. We demonstrate that forced expression of Tfam but not Tfb2m in brown adipocyte precursor cells promotes mitochondrial DNA replication, and that silencing of PRDM16 expression during brown fat cell differentiation blunts mitochondrial biogenesis and expression of brown fat cell markers. Conclusions/Significance Using both in vitro and in vivo model systems of white and brown fat cell differentiation, we report a detailed characterisation of gene expression linked to mitochondrial biogenesis and function. We find significant differences in differentiating white and brown adipocytes, which might explain the notable increase in mitochondrial content observed during brown adipose conversion. In addition, our data support a key role of PRDM16 in triggering brown adipocyte differentiation, including mitochondrial biogenesis and expression of UCP1
Enhanced artemin/GFRα3 levels regulate mechanically insensitive, heat-sensitive C-fiber recruitment after axotomy and regeneration.
Jankowski, Michael P; Rau, Kristofer K; Soneji, Deepak J; Anderson, Collene E; Koerber, H Richard
We have shown recently that following saphenous nerve transection and successful regeneration, cutaneous polymodal nociceptors (CPMs) lacking transient receptor potential vanilloid 1 (TRPV1) are sensitized to heat stimuli and that mechanically insensitive, heat-sensitive C-fibers (CHs) that contain TRPV1 increase in prevalence. Target-derived neurotrophic factor levels were also enhanced after axotomy and regeneration. In particular, the glial-cell line-derived neurotrophic factor (GDNF) family member artemin was found to be significantly enhanced in the hairy hindpaw skin and its receptor GDNF family receptor α3 (GFRα3) was increased in the L2/L3 dorsal root ganglia (DRGs) following nerve injury. In this study, we assessed the role of enhanced artemin/GFRα3 levels on the changes in mouse cutaneous CH neurons following saphenous nerve regeneration. We used a newly developed siRNA-mediated in vivo knockdown strategy to specifically inhibit the injury-induced expression of GFRα3 and coupled this with an ex vivo recording preparation to examine response characteristics and neurochemical phenotype of different types of functionally defined neurons after injury. We found that inhibition of GFRα3 did not affect the axotomy-induced decrease in CPM threshold, but transiently prevented the recruitment of CH neurons. Western blot and real-time PCR analysis of hairy hindpaw skin and L2/L3 DRGs after saphenous nerve regeneration suggested that inhibition of the potential initial injury-induced increase in enhanced target-derived artemin signaling resulted in dynamic changes in TRPV1 expression after regeneration. These changes in TRPV1 expression may underlie the functional alterations observed in CH neurons after nerve regeneration.
Octamer-binding protein 4 affects the cell biology and phenotypic transition of lung cancer cells involving β-catenin/E-cadherin complex degradation.
Chen, Zhong-Shu; Ling, Dong-Jin; Zhang, Yang-De; Feng, Jian-Xiong; Zhang, Xue-Yu; Shi, Tian-Sheng
Clinical studies have reported evidence for the involvement of octamer‑binding protein 4 (Oct4) in the tumorigenicity and progression of lung cancer; however, the role of Oct4 in lung cancer cell biology in vitro and its mechanism of action remain to be elucidated. Mortality among lung cancer patients is more frequently due to metastasis rather than their primary tumors. Epithelial‑mesenchymal transition (EMT) is a prominent biological event for the induction of epithelial cancer metastasis. The aim of the present study was to investigate whether Oct4 had the capacity to induce lung cancer cell metastasis via the promoting the EMT in vitro. Moreover, the effect of Oct4 on the β‑catenin/E‑cadherin complex, associated with EMT, was examined using immunofluorescence and immunoprecipitation assays as well as western blot analysis. The results demonstrated that Oct4 enhanced cell invasion and adhesion accompanied by the downregulation of epithelial marker cytokeratin, and upregulation of the mesenchymal markers vimentin and N‑cadherin. Furthermore, Oct4 induced EMT of lung cancer cells by promoting β‑catenin/E‑cadherin complex degradation and regulating nuclear localization of β‑catenin. In conclusion, the present study indicated that Oct4 affected the cell biology of lung cancer cells in vitro through promoting lung cancer cell metastasis via EMT; in addition, the results suggested that the association and degradation of the β‑catenin/E‑cadherin complex was regulated by Oct4 during the process of EMT.
CDH1 (E-cadherin) in testicular germ cell neoplasia: suppressed translation of mRNA in pre-invasive carcinoma in situ but increased protein levels in advanced tumours.
Sonne, Si B; Hoei-Hansen, Christina E; Nielsen, John E; Herlihy, Amy S; Andersson, Anna-Maria; Almstrup, Kristian; Daugaard, Gedske; Skakkebaek, Niels E; Leffers, Henrik; Rajpert-De Meyts, Ewa
E-cadherin (CDH1) is a transmembrane glycoprotein involved in cellular adhesion. In our recent microarray studies of testicular germ cell tumours (TGCTs) and the common precursor carcinoma in situ (CIS), CDH1 mRNA was highly expressed in CIS and embryonal carcinoma. It has previously been reported that the CDH1 protein is not expressed in CIS. To resolve the discrepancy, we performed a detailed analysis of the expression of CDH1 mRNA and protein in a series of normal and neoplastic testes. High expression of CDH1 mRNA in CIS was confirmed by real-time PCR and in situ hybridisation. At the protein level, however, CDH1 was only detected with one of three tested antibodies, but Western blotting analysis with this antibody showed additional bands, suggesting unspecific staining. The levels of a CDH1 protein fragment in serum samples from 58 patients with TGCTs were analysed by ELISA; we found significantly higher levels in patients with advanced disease (stage II/III) when compared to healthy individuals and patients with stage I TGCT. In conclusion, despite high mRNA levels, the CDH1 protein is not expressed in CIS, suggesting translational suppression of CDH1 protein expression. CDH1 serum levels may be a serological marker for staging of TGCT patients.
Combined Action of Histone Reader Modules Regulates NuA4 Local Acetyltransferase Function but Not Its Recruitment on the Genome.
Steunou, Anne-Lise; Cramet, Myriam; Rossetto, Dorine; Aristizabal, Maria J; Lacoste, Nicolas; Drouin, Simon; Côté, Valérie; Paquet, Eric; Utley, Rhea T; Krogan, Nevan; Robert, François; Kobor, Michael S; Côté, Jacques
Recognition of histone marks by reader modules is thought to be at the heart of epigenetic mechanisms. These protein domains are considered to function by targeting regulators to chromosomal loci carrying specific histone modifications. This is important for proper gene regulation as well as propagation of epigenetic information. The NuA4 acetyltransferase complex contains two of these reader modules, an H3K4me3-specific plant homeodomain (PHD) within the Yng2 subunit and an H3K36me2/3-specific chromodomain in the Eaf3 subunit. While each domain showed a close functional interaction with the respective histone mark that it recognizes, at the biochemical level, genetic level (as assessed with epistatic miniarray profile screens), and phenotypic level, cells with the combined loss of both readers showed greatly enhanced phenotypes. Chromatin immunoprecipitation coupled with next-generation sequencing experiments demonstrated that the Yng2 PHD specifically directs H4 acetylation near the transcription start site of highly expressed genes, while Eaf3 is important downstream on the body of the genes. Strikingly, the recruitment of the NuA4 complex to these loci was not significantly affected. Furthermore, RNA polymerase II occupancy was decreased only under conditions where both PHD and chromodomains were lost, generally in the second half of the gene coding regions. Altogether, these results argue that methylated histone reader modules in NuA4 are not responsible for its recruitment to the promoter or coding regions but, rather, are required to orient its acetyltransferase catalytic site to the methylated histone 3-bearing nucleosomes in the surrounding chromatin, cooperating to allow proper transition from transcription initiation to elongation.
Phosphorylation of Def Regulates Nucleolar p53 Turnover and Cell Cycle Progression through Def Recruitment of Calpain3
Tao, Ting; Shi, Hui; Lo, Li Jan; Wang, Yingchun; Chen, Jun; Peng, Jinrong
Digestive organ expansion factor (Def) is a nucleolar protein that plays dual functions: it serves as a component of the ribosomal small subunit processome for the biogenesis of ribosomes and also mediates p53 degradation through the cysteine proteinase calpain-3 (CAPN3). However, nothing is known about the exact relationship between Def and CAPN3 or the regulation of the Def function. In this report, we show that CAPN3 degrades p53 and its mutant proteins p53A138V, p53M237I, p53R248W, and p53R273P but not the p53R175H mutant protein. Importantly, we show that Def directly interacts with CAPN3 in the nucleoli and determines the nucleolar localisation of CAPN3, which is a prerequisite for the degradation of p53 in the nucleolus. Furthermore, we find that Def is modified by phosphorylation at five serine residues: S50, S58, S62, S87, and S92. We further show that simultaneous phosphorylations at S87 and S92 facilitate the nucleolar localisation of Capn3 that is not only essential for the degradation of p53 but is also important for regulating cell cycle progression. Hence, we propose that the Def-CAPN3 pathway serves as a nucleolar checkpoint for cell proliferation by selective inactivation of cell cycle-related substrates during organogenesis. PMID:27657329
Transforming growth factor β recruits persistent MAPK signaling to regulate long-term memory consolidation in Aplysia californica.
Shobe, Justin; Philips, Gary T; Carew, Thomas J
In this study, we explore the mechanistic relationship between growth factor signaling and kinase activity that supports the protein synthesis-dependent phase of long-term memory (LTM) consolidation for sensitization ofAplysia Specifically, we examine LTM for tail shock-induced sensitization of the tail-elicited siphon withdrawal (T-SW) reflex, a form of memory that requires both (i) extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK1/2; MAPK) activity within identified sensory neurons (SNs) that mediate the T-SW and (ii) the activation of transforming growth factor β (TGFβ) signaling. We now report that repeated tail shocks that induce intermediate-term (ITM) and LTM for sensitization, also induce a sustained post-training phase of MAPK activity in SNs (lasting at least 1 h). We identified two mechanistically distinct phases of post-training MAPK: (i) an immediate phase that does not require ongoing protein synthesis or TGFβ signaling, and (ii) a sustained phase that requires both protein synthesis and extracellular TGFβ signaling. We find that LTM consolidation requires sustained MAPK, and is disrupted by inhibitors of protein synthesis and TGFβ signaling during the consolidation window. These results provide strong evidence that TGFβ signaling sustains MAPK activity as an essential mechanistic step for LTM consolidation.
NIBP impacts on the expression of E-cadherin, CD44 and vimentin in colon cancer via the NF-κB pathway.
Xu, Chun-Yan; Qin, Meng-Bin; Tan, Lin; Liu, Shi-Quan; Huang, Jie-An
associated with metastasis in colon cancer. When the NF‑κB pathway is not subjected to any interventions, NIBP may predominantly regulate the NF‑κB classical pathway, rather than the alternative pathway. When the classical pathway was completely inhibited, NIBP was able to activate the NF‑κB alternative pathway. NIBP is therefore necessary for the interaction between the NF‑κB classical and alternative pathways. In conclusion, NIBP impacts on the expression levels of E‑cadherin, CD44 and vimentin via the NF‑κB classical and alternative pathways. Therapeutic regimens for patients with colorectal cancer may comprise NIBP inhibitors in the future.
Recruitment of CREB1 and Histone Deacetylase 2 (HDAC2) to the Mouse Ltbp-1 Promoter Regulates its Constitutive Expression in a Dioxin Receptor-dependent Manner
Gomez-Duran, Aurea; Ballestar, Esteban; Carvajal-Gonzalez, Jose M.; Marlowe, Jennifer L.; Puga, Alvaro; Esteller, Manel; Fernandez-Salguero, Pedro M.
Latent TGFβ-binding protein 1 (LTBP-1) is a key regulator of TGFβ targeting and activation in the extracellular matrix. LTBP-1 is recognized as a major docking molecule to localize, and possibly to activate, TGFβ in the extracellular matrix. Despite this relevant function, the molecular mechanisms regulating Ltbp-1 transcription remain largely unknown. Previous results from our laboratory revealed that mouse embryonic fibroblasts (MEF) lacking dioxin receptor (AhR) had increased Ltbp-1 mRNA expression and elevated TGFβ activity, suggesting that AhR repressed Ltbp-1 transcription. Here, we have cloned the mouse Ltbp-1 gene promoter and analysed its mechanism of transcriptional repression by AhR. Reporter gene assays, AhR over-expression and site-directed mutagenesis showed that basal Ltbp-1 transcription is AhR-dependent. Chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP) and RNA interference (RNAi) revealed that AhR regulates Ltbp-1 transcription by a mechanism involving recruitment of co-activators such as CREB1 and co-repressors such as HDAC2 to the Ltbp-1 promoter. In AhR-expressing (AhR+/+) MEF cells, the recruitment of HDAC1, 2 and 4 correlated with decreased K8H4 acetylation and impaired binding of pCREBSer133 to the Ltbp-1 promoter, likely maintaining a constitutive repressed state. AhR−/− MEF cells had the opposite pattern of HDACs and pCREB1Ser133 binding to Ltbp-1 promoter, and therefore, over-expressed Ltbp-1 mRNA. In agreement, siRNA for HDAC2 increased Ltbp-1 expression and K8H4 acetylation in AhR+/+ but not in AhR−/− MEF cells. We suggest that HDAC2 binding keeps Ltbp-1 promoter repressed in AhR+/+ MEF cells, whereas in AhR-null MEF cells the absence of HDAC2 and the binding of pCREBSer133 allow Ltbp-1 transcription. Thus, epigenetics can contribute to constitutive Ltbp-1 repression by a mechanism requiring AhR activity. PMID:18508077
DJBP: a novel DJ-1-binding protein, negatively regulates the androgen receptor by recruiting histone deacetylase complex, and DJ-1 antagonizes this inhibition by abrogation of this complex.
Niki, Takeshi; Takahashi-Niki, Kazuko; Taira, Takahiro; Iguchi-Ariga, Sanae M M; Ariga, Hiroyoshi
DJ-1 was identified by us as a novel oncogene that transforms mouse NIH3T3 cells in cooperation with ras. We later identified PIAS (protein inhibitor of activated STAT)xalpha as a DJ-1-binding protein, and found that DJ-1 restored androgen receptor (AR) transcription activity that was repressed by PIASxalpha. To further characterize the function of DJ-1, we cloned cDNA encoding a novel DJ-1-binding protein, DJBP, by a yeast two-hybrid system. DJBP mRNA was found to be specifically expressed in the testis. In addition to the binding of DJBP to the COOH-terminal region of DJ-1, DJBP was also found to bind in vitro and in vivo to the DNA-binding domain of the AR in a testosterone-dependent manner and to be colocalized with DJ-1 or AR in the nucleus. Furthermore, a co-immunoprecipitation assay showed that the formation of a ternary complex between DJ-1, DJBP, and AR occurred in cells in which DJ-1 bound to the AR via DJBP. It was found that DJBP repressed a testosterone-dependent AR transactivation activity in monkey Cos1 cells by recruiting histone deacetylase (HDAC) complex, including HDAC1 and mSin3, and that DJ-1 partially restored its repressed activity by abrogating DJBP-HDAC complex. These results suggest that AR is positively regulated by DJ-1, which antagonizes the function of negative regulators, including DJBP.
Apoptosis repressor with caspase recruitment domain is regulated by MAPK/PI3K and confers drug resistance and survival advantage to AML
Mak, P. Y.; Mak, D. H.; Mu, H.; Shi, Y.; Ruvolo, P.; Ruvolo, V.; Jacamo, R.; Burks, J. K.; Wei, W.; Huang, X.; Kornblau, S. M.; Andreeff, M.; Carter, B. Z.
The apoptosis repressor with caspase recruitment domain (ARC) protein is known to suppress both intrinsic and extrinsic apoptosis. We previously reported that ARC expression is a strong, independent adverse prognostic factor in acute myeloid leukemia (AML). Here, we investigated the regulation and role of ARC in AML. ARC expression is upregulated in AML cells co-cultured with bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs) and suppressed by inhibition of MAPK and PI3K signaling. AML patient samples with RAS mutations (N = 64) expressed significantly higher levels of ARC than samples without RAS mutations (N = 371) (P = 0.016). ARC overexpression protected and ARC knockdown sensitized AML cells to cytarabine and to agents that selectively induce intrinsic (ABT-737) or extrinsic (TNF-related apoptosis inducing ligand) apoptosis. NOD-SCID mice harboring ARC-overexpressing KG-1 cells had significantly shorter survival than mice injected with control cells (median 84 versus 111 days) and significantly fewer leukemia cells were present when NOD/SCID IL2R null mice were injected with ARC knockdown as compared to control Molm13 cells (P = 0.005 and 0.03 at 2 and 3 weeks, respectively). Together, these findings demonstrate that MSCs regulate ARC in AML through activation of MAPK and PI3K signaling pathways. ARC confers drug resistance and survival advantage to AML in vitro and in vivo, suggesting ARC as a novel target in AML therapy. PMID:24337870
APETALA2 negatively regulates multiple floral organ identity genes in Arabidopsis by recruiting the co-repressor TOPLESS and the histone deacetylase HDA19.
Krogan, Naden T; Hogan, Kendra; Long, Jeff A
The development and coordination of complex tissues in eukaryotes requires precise spatial control of fate-specifying genes. Although investigations of such control have traditionally focused on mechanisms of transcriptional activation, transcriptional repression has emerged as being equally important in the establishment of gene expression territories. In the angiosperm flower, specification of lateral organ fate relies on the spatial regulation of the ABC floral organ identity genes. Our understanding of how the boundaries of these expression domains are controlled is not complete. Here, we report that the A-class organ identity gene APETALA2 (AP2), which is known to repress the C-class gene AGAMOUS, also regulates the expression borders of the B-class genes APETALA3 and PISTILLATA, and the E-class gene SEPALLATA3. We show that AP2 represses its target genes by physically recruiting the co-repressor TOPLESS and the histone deacetylase HDA19. These results demonstrate that AP2 plays a broad role in flower development by controlling the expression domains of numerous floral organ identity genes.
Regulation of local host-mediated anti-tumor mechanisms by cytokines: direct and indirect effects on leukocyte recruitment and angiogenesis.
Watanabe, M.; McCormick, K. L.; Volker, K.; Ortaldo, J. R.; Wigginton, J. M.; Brunda, M. J.; Wiltrout, R. H.; Fogler, W. E.
The regulation of tumor growth by cytokine-induced alterations in host