Epithelial Membrane Protein Research Articles

Epithelial membrane protein 1 in human cancer: a potential diagnostic biomarker and therapeutic target.

Epithelial membrane protein 1 (EMP1) is a member of the small hydrophobic membrane protein subfamily. EMP1 is aberrantly expressed in various tumor tissues and governs multiple cellular behaviors (e.g., proliferation, differentiation, and migration). The resultant regulation of the cancer pathway is responsible for the metastasis of cancer cells and determines the risk of malignant tumor progression. This review provides an updated overview of EMP1 as either an oncogene or a tumor suppressor contingent on the cancer type and summarizes its upstream regulators and downstream target genes. This systematic review summarizes our current understanding of the role of EMP1 in malignant tumor development, including critical functional mechanisms and implications for its potential use as the biomarker and therapeutic target.

Identification of interaction partners of outer inflammatory protein A: Computational and experimental insights into how Helicobacter pylori infects host cells

Outer membrane proteins (OMPs) play a key role in facilitating the survival of Helicobacter pylori within the gastric tissue by mediating adherence. Among these proteins, Outer inflammatory protein A (OipA) is a critical factor in H. pylori colonization of the host gastric epithelial cell surface. While the role of OipA in H. pylori attachment and its association with clinical outcomes have been established, the structural mechanisms underlying OipA’s action in adherence to gastric epithelial cells remain limited. Our study employed experimental and computational approaches to investigate the interaction partners of OipA on the gastric epithelial cell surface. Initially, we conducted a proteomic analysis using a pull-down assay with recombinant OipA and gastric epithelial cell membrane proteins to identify the OipA interactome. This analysis revealed 704 unique proteins that interacted with OipA. We subsequently analyzed 16 of these OipA partners using molecular modeling tools. Among these 16 partners, we highlight three human proteins, namely Hepatocyte growth factor (HGF), Mesenchymal epithelial transition factor receptor (Met), and Adhesion G Protein-Coupled Receptor B1 (AGRB1) that could play a role in H. pylori adherence to the gastric epithelial cell surface with OipA. Collectively, these findings reveal novel host interactions mediated by OipA, suggesting their potential as therapeutic targets for combating H. pylori infection.

The Multifaceted Role of Epithelial Membrane Protein 2 in Cancer: from Biomarker to Therapeutic Target.

Tetraspanin superfamily proteins not only facilitate the trafficking of specific proteins to distinct plasma membrane domains but also influence cell-to-cell and cell-extracellular matrix interactions. Among these proteins, Epithelial Membrane Protein 2 (EMP2), a member of the growth arrest-specific gene 3/peripheral myelin protein 22 (GAS3/PMP22) family, is known to affect key cellular processes. Recent studies have revealed that EMP2 modulates critical signaling pathways and interacts with adhesion molecules and growth factor receptors, underscoring its potential as a biomarker for cancer diagnosis and prognosis. These findings suggest that EMP2 expression patterns could provide valuable insights into tumorigenesis and metastasis. Moreover, EMP2 has emerged as a promising therapeutic target, with approaches aimed at inhibiting or modulating its activity showing potential to disrupt tumor growth and metastasis. This review provides a comprehensive overview of recent advances in understanding the multifaceted roles of EMP2 in cancer, with a focus on its underlying mechanisms and clinical significance.

EMP3: A promising biomarker for tumor prognosis and targeted cancer therapy.

Epithelial membrane protein 3 (EMP3) belongs to the peripheral myelin protein 22 kDa (PMP22) gene family, characterized by four transmembrane domains and widespread expression across various human tissues and organs. Other members of the PMP22 family, including EMP1, EMP2, and PMP22, have been linked to various cancers, such as glioblastoma, laryngeal cancer, nasopharyngeal cancer, gastric cancer, breast cancer, and endometrial cancer. However, few studies report on the function and relevance of EMP3 in tumorigenicity. Given the significant structural similarities among members of the PMP22 family, there are likely potential functional similarities as well. Previous studies have established the regulatory role of EMP3 in immune cells like T cells and macrophages. Additionally, EMP3 is found to be involved in critical signaling pathways, including HER-2/PI3K/Akt, MAPK/ERK, and TGF-beta/Smad. Furthermore, EMP3 is associated with cell cycle regulation, cellular proliferation, and apoptosis. Hence, it is likely that EMP3 participates in cancer development through these aforementioned pathways and mechanisms. This review aims to systematically examine and summarize the structure and function of EMP3 and its association to various cancers. EMP3 is expected to emerge as a significant biological marker for tumor prognosis and a potential target in cancer therapeutics.

E-cad! That's a Big Switch from Epithelial Membrane Protein to Asthma Mediator.

E-cad! That's a Big Switch from Epithelial Membrane Protein to Asthma Mediator.

EMP3 inhibits the formation of heterotypic cell-in-cell structures in hepatocellular carcinoma

Heterotypic cell-in-cell (heCIC) structures represent a unique intercellular interaction where tumor cells internalize immune cells to enhance the killing efficiency of immune cells. However, the mechanism of heCIC structure formation remains to be fully elucidated. In this study, we explored the role of epithelial membrane protein 3 (EMP3), a PMP-22/EMP/MP20 protein family member highly expressed in the patients with hepatocellular carcinoma and poor prognosis, in the formation of the heCIC structure formed by natural killer cells and hepatocellular carcinoma cells. The analysis of monoclonal hepatocellular carcinoma cell lines revealed that EMP3 presented low expression in the cells with high capability to form heCIC structure and high expression in those with low capability. Knocking down the expression of EMP3 by gene editing promoted the formation of heCIC structures, while overexpression of EMP3 significantly inhibited this process. Additionally, the expression of factors involved in the heCIC structure formation suggested that EMP3 inhibited the formation of heCIC structures by modulating the adhesion ability and cytoskeleton of tumor cells. The findings lay a foundation for enhancing the heCIC-mediated tumor immunotherapy by targeting EMP3.

Epithelial Membrane Protein 2 (EMP2) Blockade Attenuates Pathological Neovascularization in Murine Oxygen-Induced Retinopathy.

Retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) results from postnatal hyperoxia exposure in premature infants and is characterized by aberrant neovascularization of retinal blood vessels. Epithelial membrane protein-2 (EMP2) regulates hypoxia-inducible factor (HIF)-induced vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) production in the ARPE-19 cell line and genetic knock-out of Emp2 in a murine oxygen-induced retinopathy (OIR) model attenuates neovascularization. We hypothesize that EMP2 blockade via intravitreal injection protects against neovascularization. Ex vivo choroid sprouting assay was performed, comparing media and human IgG controls versus anti-EMP2 antibody (Ab) treatment. In vivo, eyes from wild-type (WT) mice exposed to hyperoxia from postnatal (P) days 7 to 12 were treated with P12 intravitreal injections of control IgG or anti-EMP2 Abs. Neovascularization was assessed at P17 by flat mount imaging. Local and systemic effects of anti-EMP2 Ab treatment were assessed. Choroid sprouts treated with 30µg/mL of anti-EMP2 Ab demonstrated a 48% reduction in vessel growth compared to control IgG-treated sprouts. Compared to IgG-treated controls, WT OIR mice treated with 4µg/g of intravitreal anti-EMP2 Ab demonstrated a 42% reduction in neovascularization. They demonstrated down-regulation of retinal gene expression in pathways related to vasculature development and up-regulation in genes related to fatty acid oxidation and tricarboxylic acid cycle respiratory electron transport, compared to controls. Anti-EMP2 Ab-treated OIR mice did not exhibit gross retinal histologic abnormalities, vision transduction abnormalities, or weight loss. Our results suggest that EMP2 blockade could be a local and specific treatment modality for retinal neovascularization in oxygen-induced retinopathies, without systemic adverse effects.

Acute myeloid leukemia stem cell signature gene EMP1 is not an eligible therapeutic target.

Relapse in pediatric acute myeloid leukemia (pedAML) patients is known to be associated with residual leukemic stem cells (LSC). We have previously shown that epithelial membrane protein 1 (EMP1) is significantly overexpressed in LSC compared to hematological stem cell fractions. EMP1 was also documented as part of the 17-gene stemness score and a 6-membrane protein gene score, both correlating high EMP1 expression with worse overall survival. However, its potential as a therapeutic target in pedAML is still unexplored. Association analyses of EMP1 expression with clinical and molecular AML characteristics were performed. Expression of EMP1 was evaluated in pedAML and cord blood samples. Expression in normal blood cells and tissues was evaluated by flow cytometry and immunohistochemistry, respectively. In silico analyses showed variable mRNA expression of EMP1 in multiple pedAML datasets, and a significant correlation between high EMP1 transcript levels and the presence of inv(16). Flow cytometry showed overexpression of EMP1 in pedAML samples, as well as expression in normal blood subsets. Importantly, immunohistochemistry revealed EMP1 expression in multiple normal tissues. Although EMP1 presents as an interesting membrane-associated target in pedAML, its abundant expression in normal blood cells and tissues will impede it from further exploration as a therapeutic target. EMP1 is highly expressed in multiple cancer types, but expression in acute myeloid leukemia (AML) and normal tissues is unexplored. As EMP1 is investigated in other cancer types, expression in normal tissues and blood cells is relevant in predicting the success of EMP1-targeted therapies. In this study, we showed expression of EMP1 in multiple tissues, predicting high on-target off-tumor toxicity, which will warn other researchers of possible toxicities when generating EMP1-targeted therapy. Finally, we showed that high EMP1 expression is associated with better overall survival of pediatric AML patients, reducing the need for EMP1-targeted therapy.

EMP1 correlated with cancer progression and immune characteristics in pan-cancer and ovarian cancer.

This study examines the prognostic role and immunological relevance of EMP1 (epithelial membrane protein-1) in a pan-cancer analysis, with a focus on ovarian cancer. Utilizing data from TCGA, CCLE, and GTEx databases, we assessed EMP1 mRNA expression and its correlation with tumor progression, prognosis, and immune microenvironment across various cancers. Our results indicate that EMP1 expression is significantly associated with poor prognosis in multiple cancer types, including ovarian, bladder, testicular, pancreatic, breast, brain, and uveal melanoma. Immune-related analyses reveal a positive correlation between EMP1 and immune cell infiltration, particularly neutrophils, macrophages, and dendritic cells, as well as high expression of immune checkpoint such as CD274, HAVCR2, IL10, PDCD1LG2, and TGFB1 in most tumors. In vivo experiments confirm that EMP1 promotes ovarian cancer cell proliferation, metastasis, and invasion. In conclusion, EMP1 emerges as a potential prognostic biomarker and therapeutic target in various cancers, particularly ovarian cancer, due to its influence on tumor progression and immune cell dynamics. Further research is warranted to elucidate the precise mechanisms of EMP1 in cancer biology and to translate these findings into clinical applications.

EMP2 Serves as a Functional Biomarker for Chemotherapy-Resistant Triple-Negative Breast Cancer.

Breast cancer (BC) remains among the most commonly diagnosed cancers in women worldwide. Triple-negative BC (TNBC) is a subset of BC characterized by aggressive behavior, a high risk of distant recurrence, and poor overall survival rates. Chemotherapy is the backbone for treatment in patients with TNBC, but outcomes remain poor compared to other BC subtypes, in part due to the lack of recognized functional targets. In this study, the expression of the tetraspan protein epithelial membrane protein 2 (EMP2) was explored as a predictor of TNBC response to standard chemotherapy. We demonstrate that EMP2 functions as a prognostic biomarker for patients treated with taxane-based chemotherapy, with high expression at both transcriptomic and protein levels following treatment correlating with poor overall survival. Moreover, we show that targeting EMP2 in combination with docetaxel reduces tumor load in syngeneic and xenograft models of TNBC. These results provide support for the prognostic and therapeutic potential of this tetraspan protein, suggesting that anti-EMP2 therapy may be beneficial for the treatment of select chemotherapy-resistant TNBC tumors.

Molecular Mechanism of Targeting Epithelial Membrane Protein-2 in Malignant Meningiomas

INTRODUCTION: Meningiomas compose approximately one third of all primary central nervous system neoplasms. While many meningiomas remain benign, as many as 35% of meningiomas are graded as atypical or anaplastic/malignant with a 5-y survival rate as low as 35%. METHODS: In collaboration with the UCLA Brain Tumor SPORE, we gathered a panel of malignant meningiomas (IOMM-LEE, CH157). To determine the function of EMP2, we created EMP2 vector control and knockdown models in both cell lines and have analyzed the cells by RNA sequencing, transcriptomic functional analysis, and migration assay. RESULTS: Gene functional analysis enriched for biological processes showed that knockdown of EMP2 inhibited multiple malignant pathways in these meningioma cells including the response to hypoxia, cell proliferation, invasion, and stem cell maintenance. Further analyses of EMP2 expression with other differentially expressed genes of interest revealed that VEGFA expression significantly decreased when EMP2 is knocked down (p < 0.001). Moreover, cellular migration and invasion regulated by EMP2 was tested in control and EMP2 knockdown malignant cells using a scratch assay, where knockdown of EMP2 reduced the rate of cell invasion by 50% (p = 0.0003). Additionally, anti- EMP2 mAb treatment in the control malignant cell line significantly reduced EMP2 mediated signal transduction (p = 0.0031). CONCLUSIONS: Our study is the first to demonstrate the modulation of EMP2 and its implications in malignant meningioma pathogenesis, VEGFA-HIF1α pathway, and stem cell regulation. Targeting EMP2 may result in therapeutic benefit in malignant meningiomas.

Abstract 2508: EMP2 is a targetable biomarker in GBM tumors resistant to anti-angiogenic therapies

Abstract Background: Glioblastoma (GBM) is characterized as the most aggressive and lethal primary brain tumor. One of the hallmarks of GBM tumor growth and progression lies within the proangiogenic tumor microenvironment. Current anti-angiogenic drugs such as the anti-VEGF antibody take effect by inducing tumor cell starvation, leading to a functional normalization of the tumor vasculature. However, the survival benefits of anti-angiogenic drugs have been very limited. To this end, we hypothesized that the tetraspan Epithelial Membrane Protein-2 (EMP2) may help mediate resistance. Objective: We hypothesize that Epithelial Membrane Protein-2 may serve as a targetable biomarker for anti-VEGF resistance. We further explored the effectiveness of combination therapy in SB28 and GL261 GBM mouse models using anti-VEGF drug, Aflibercept, with a novel anti-EMP2 monoclonal antibody (mAb). Results: Tumor tissue was collected prospectively from patients undergoing surgery for suspected glioblastoma and stained for EMP2 and HIF2a using standard immunohistochemistry. Patients had banked tumor tissue both prior to and after bevacizumab treatment with 3 months of clinical and radiologic follow-up available. Bevacizumab treatment increased EMP2 protein expression. This increase in EMP2 correlated with reduced mean survival time post-bevacizumab therapy. Similarly, HIF-2a showed increased expression post-bevacizumab treatment and showed expression in both tumor and stromal cells. Limited animal models exist for anti-VEGF therapy for GBM. To establish syngeneic models, 10 week-old mice were subcutaneously implanted with murine SB28 or GL261 GBM cells. Treatment with either polyclonal sera to VEGF or Aflibercept failed to reduce tumor load or provide a therapeutic benefit. To next investigate if this model could recapitulate the response obtained patients tumors, formalin fixed paraffin embedded tissue was analyzed for both EMP2 and HIF-2a expression. Both markers were significantly upregulated in Aflibercept treated samples compared to the control.To next investigate if combination treatment could produce a significant reduction in tumor load, animals were treated with a combination treatment with Aflibercept and anti-EMP2 mAb. The combination therapy significantly reduced tumor volume and weight in comparison to control-treated tumors. Combination treatment in SB28 tumors resulted in a two fold reduction in tumor load and 50% reduction in tumor weight. Moreover, tumors showed reduced Ki67 expression. Similarly, treated GL261 tumors produced a 2.3 fold reduction in tumor size and ~2.7 fold reduction in tumor weight. Our results suggest that EMP2 can be a promising new target therapeutic target that can be combined with anti-VEGF treatment to potentially increase overall survival in GBM patients. Citation Format: Brian Aguirre, Mahlet Mekonnen, Riddhi Mehta, Meera Suresh, Anubhav Chandla, Karam Han, Isaac Yang, Madhuri Wadehra. EMP2 is a targetable biomarker in GBM tumors resistant to anti-angiogenic therapies [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2024; Part 1 (Regular Abstracts); 2024 Apr 5-10; San Diego, CA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2024;84(6_Suppl):Abstract nr 2508.

89Zr-ImmunoPET for the Specific Detection of EMP2-Positive Tumors.

Epithelial membrane protein-2 (EMP2) is upregulated in a number of tumors and therefore remains a promising target for mAb-based therapy. In the current study, image-guided therapy for an anti-EMP2 mAb was evaluated by PET in both syngeneic and immunodeficient cancer models expressing different levels of EMP2 to enable a better understanding of its tumor uptake and off target accumulation and clearance. The therapeutic efficacy of the anti-EMP2 mAb was initially evaluated in high- and low-expressing tumors, and the mAb reduced tumor load for the high EMP2-expressing 4T1 and HEC-1-A tumors. To create an imaging agent, the anti-EMP2 mAb was conjugated to p-SCN-Bn-deferoxamine (DFO) and radiolabeled with 89Zr. Tumor targeting and tissue biodistribution were evaluated in syngeneic tumor models (4T1, CT26, and Panc02) and human tumor xenograft models (Ramos, HEC-1-A, and U87MG/EMP2). PET imaging revealed radioactive accumulation in EMP2-positive tumors within 24 hours after injection, and the signal was retained for 5 days. High specific uptake was observed in tumors with high EMP2 expression (4T1, CT26, HEC-1-A, and U87MG/EMP2), with less accumulation in tumors with low EMP2 expression (Panc02 and Ramos). Biodistribution at 5 days after injection revealed that the tumor uptake ranged from 2 to approximately 16%ID/cc. The results show that anti-EMP2 mAbs exhibit EMP2-dependent tumor uptake with low off-target accumulation in preclinical cancer models. The development of improved anti-EMP2 Ab fragments may be useful to track EMP2-positive tumors for subsequent therapeutic interventions.

Proteomic analyses of urinary exosomes identify novel potential biomarkers for early diagnosis of sickle cell nephropathy, a sex-based study.

Sickle cell nephropathy (SCN) is a leading cause of morbidity and mortality in sickle cell disease (SCD). Early intervention is crucial for mitigating its effects. However, current diagnostic methods rely on generic tests and may not detect SCN until irreversible renal damage occurs. Therefore, specific biomarkers for early diagnosis of SCN are needed. Urinary exosomes, membrane-bound vesicles secreted by renal podocytes and epithelial cells, contain both common and cell type-specific membrane and cytosolic proteins, reflecting the physiologic and pathophysiologic states of the kidney. Using proteomics, we analyzed the proteomes of urinary exosomes from humanized SCD mice at 2months (without albuminuria) and 4months (with albuminuria) of age. Excretion of 164 proteins were significantly increased and 176 proteins was significantly decreased in the exosomes when mice developed albuminuria. Based on the relevance to SCD, chronic kidney disease and Western blot confirmation in mice, we analyzed protein abundance of heparanase, cathepsin C, α2-macroglobulin and sarcoplasmic endoplasmic Ca2+ ATPase-3 (SERCA3) in the urinary exosomes and urine of 18 SCD subjects without albuminuria and 12 subjects with albuminuria using Western blot analyses. Both male and female subjects increased or tended to increase the excretion of these proteins in their urinary exosomes upon developing albuminuria, but female subjects demonstrated stronger correlations between the excretion of these proteins and urine albumin creatinine ratio (UACR) compared to male subjects. In contrast, exosomal excretion of Tamm-Horsfall protein, β-actin and SHP-1 was independent of albuminuria. These findings provide a foundation for a time-course study to determine whether increases in the levels of these proteins precede the onset of albuminuria in patients, which will help determine the potential of these proteins as biomarkers for early detection of SCN.

EMP3 as a prognostic biomarker correlates with EMT in GBM

BackgroundGlioblastoma (GBM) is the most aggressive malignant central nervous system tumor with a poor prognosis.The malignant transformation of glioma cells via epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) has been observed as a main obstacle for glioblastoma treatment. Epithelial membrane protein 3 (EMP3) is significantly associated with the malignancy of GBM and the prognosis of patients. Therefore, exploring the possible mechanisms by which EMP3 promotes the growth of GBM has important implications for the treatment of GBM.MethodsWe performed enrichment and correlation analysis in 5 single-cell RNA sequencing datasets. Differential expression of EMP3 in gliomas, Kaplan–Meier survival curves, diagnostic accuracy and prognostic prediction were analyzed by bioinformatics in the China Glioma Genome Atlas (CGGA) database and The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) database. EMP3-silenced U87 and U251 cell lines were obtained by transient transfection with siRNA. The effect of EMP3 on glioblastoma proliferation was examined using the CCK-8 assay. Transwell migration assay and wound healing assay were used to assess the effect of EMP3 on glioblastoma migration. Finally, quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) and western blot were used to detect the mRNA and protein expression levels of EMT-related transcription factors and mesenchymal markers.ResultsEMP3 is a EMT associated gene in multiple types of malignant cancer and in high-grade glioblastoma. EMP3 is enriched in high-grade gliomas and isocitrate dehydrogenase (IDH) wild-type gliomas.EMP3 can be used as a specific biomarker for diagnosing glioma patients. It is also an independent prognostic factor for glioma patients' overall survival (OS). In addition, silencing EMP3 reduces the proliferation and migration of glioblastoma cells. Mechanistically, EMP3 enhances the malignant potential of tumor cells by promoting EMT.ConclusionEMP3 promotes the proliferation and migration of GBM cells, and the mechanism may be related to EMP3 promoting the EMT process in GBM; EMP3 may be an independent prognostic factor in GBM.

ANGI-11. MOLECULAR MECHANISM OF TARGETING EPITHELIAL MEMBRANE PROTEIN-2 IN MALIGNANT MENINGIOMAS

Abstract BACKGROUND Meningiomas comprise approximately one-third of all primary central nervous system neoplasms. While many meningiomas remain benign, as many as 35% of meningiomas are graded as atypical or anaplastic/malignant with a 5-y survival rate as low as 35%. Targeting the tetraspan protein epithelial membrane protein-2 (EMP2)-HIF1α pathway through EMP2 knockdown may inhibit tumor growth, invasion, and neoangiogenesis in malignant meningioma. METHODS In collaboration with the UCLA Brain Tumor SPORE, we gathered a panel of malignant meningiomas (IOMM-LEE, CH157). To determine the function of EMP2, we created EMP2 vector control and knockdown models in both cell lines and analyzed the cells by RNA sequencing, transcriptomic functional analysis, and migration assay. RESULTS Gene functional analysis enriched for biological processes showed that knockdown of EMP2 inhibited multiple malignant pathways in these meningioma cells including the response to hypoxia, cell proliferation, invasion, and stem cell maintenance. Further analyses of EMP2 expression with other differentially expressed genes of interest revealed that VEGFA expression significantly decreased when EMP2 is knocked down (p< 0.001). Moreover, cellular migration and invasion regulated by EMP2 were tested in control and EMP2 knockdown malignant cells using a scratch assay, where knockdown of EMP2 reduced the rate of cell invasion by 50% (p = 0.0003). Additionally, anti-EMP2 mAb treatment in the control malignant cell line significantly reduced EMP2-mediated signal transduction (p = 0.0031). CONCLUSIONS Our study is the first to demonstrate the modulation of EMP2 and its implications in malignant meningioma pathogenesis, VEGFA-HIF1α pathway, and stem cell regulation. Targeting EMP2 may result in therapeutic benefits for malignant meningioma.

EMP3 sustains oncogenic EGFR/CDK2 signaling by restricting receptor degradation in glioblastoma

Epithelial membrane protein 3 (EMP3) is an N-glycosylated tetraspanin with a putative trafficking function. It is highly expressed in isocitrate dehydrogenase-wild-type glioblastoma (IDH-wt GBM), and its high expression correlates with poor survival. However, the exact trafficking role of EMP3 and how it promotes oncogenic signaling in GBM remain unclear. Here, we show that EMP3 promotes EGFR/CDK2 signaling by regulating the trafficking and enhancing the stability of EGFR. BioID2-based proximity labeling revealed that EMP3 interacts with endocytic proteins involved in the vesicular transport of EGFR. EMP3 knockout (KO) enhances epidermal growth factor (EGF)-induced shuttling of EGFR into RAB7 + late endosomes, thereby promoting EGFR degradation. Increased EGFR degradation is rescued by the RAB7 negative regulator and novel EMP3 interactor TBC1D5. Phosphoproteomic and transcriptomic analyses further showed that EMP3 KO converges into the inhibition of the cyclin-dependent kinase CDK2 and the repression of EGFR-dependent and cell cycle transcriptional programs. Phenotypically, EMP3 KO cells exhibit reduced proliferation rates, blunted mitogenic response to EGF, and increased sensitivity to the pan-kinase inhibitor staurosporine and the EGFR inhibitor osimertinib. Furthermore, EGFR-dependent patient-derived glioblastoma stem cells display a transcriptomic signature consistent with reduced CDK2 activity, as well as increased susceptibility to CDK2 inhibition upon EMP3 knockdown. Lastly, using TCGA data, we showed that GBM tumors with high EMP3 expression have increased total and phosphorylated EGFR levels. Collectively, our findings demonstrate a novel EMP3-dependent mechanism by which EGFR/CDK2 activity is sustained in GBM. Consequently, EMP3’s stabilizing effect provides an additional layer of tumor cell resistance against targeted kinase inhibition.

Aggf1 Specifies Hemangioblasts at the Top of Regulatory Hierarchy via Npas4l and mTOR-S6K-Emp2-ERK Signaling.

Hemangioblasts are mesoderm-derived multipotent stem cells for differentiation of all hematopoietic and endothelial cells in the circulation system. However, the underlying molecular mechanism is poorly understood. CRISPR (clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats)/Cas9 (type II CRISPR RNA-guided endonuclease) editing was used to develop aggf1-/- and emp2-/- knockout zebra fish. Whole-mount in situ hybridization and transgenic Tg(gata1-EGFP [enhanced green fluorescent protein]), Tg(mpx-EGFP), Tg(rag2-DsRed [discosoma sp. red fluorescent protein]), Tg(cd41-EGFP), Tg(kdrl-EGFP), and Tg(aggf1-/-;kdrl-EGFP) zebra fish were used to examine specification of hemangioblasts and hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells (HSPCs), hematopoiesis, and vascular development. Quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction and Western blot analyses were used for expression analysis of genes and proteins. Knockout of aggf1 impaired specification of hemangioblasts and HSPCs, hematopoiesis, and vascular development in zebra fish. Expression of npas4l/cloche-the presumed earliest marker for hemangioblast specification-was significantly reduced in aggf1-/- embryos and increased by overexpression of aggf1 in embryos. Overexpression of npas4l rescued the impaired specification of hemangioblasts and HSPCs and development of hematopoiesis and intersegmental vessels in aggf1-/- embryos, placing aggf1 upstream of npas4l in hemangioblast specification. To identify the underlying molecular mechanism, we identified emp2 as a key aggf1 downstream gene. Similar to aggf1, emp2 knockout impaired the specification of hemangioblasts and HSPCs, hematopoiesis, and angiogenesis by increasing the phosphorylation of ERK1/2 (extracellular signal-regulated protein kinase 1/2). Mechanistic studies showed that aggf1 knockdown and knockout significantly decreased the phosphorylated levels of mTOR (mammalian target of rapamycin) and p70 S6K (ribosomal protein S6 kinase), resulting in reduced protein synthesis of Emp2 (epithelial membrane protein 2), whereas mTOR activator MHY1485 (4,6-dimorpholino-N-(4-nitrophenyl)-1,3,5-triazin-2-amine) rescued the impaired specification of hemangioblasts and HSPCs and development of hematopoiesis and intersegmental vessels and reduced Emp2 expression induced by aggf1 knockdown. These results indicate that aggf1 acts at the top of npas4l and becomes the earliest marker during specification of hemangioblasts. Our data identify a novel signaling axis of Aggf1 (angiogenic factor with G-patch and FHA domain 1)-mTOR-S6K-ERK1/2 for specification of hemangioblasts and HSPCs, primitive and definitive hematopoiesis, and vascular development. Our findings provide important insights into specification of hemangioblasts and HSPCs essential for the development of the circulation system.

Epithelial Membrane Protein-3 and Chitinase-3-like Protein-1 as New Prognostic Predictors of Glioma, a Two-Gene Study.

Glioblastoma multiforme is the most common primary intracranial tumor, with a high degree of malignancy, poor therapeutic effect, and poor prognosis. According to previous studies, CHI3L1 and EMP3 are two independent tumor predictors that are of great significance for the prognostic prediction of other tumors, and their expression levels may be related to the prognosis of glioma patients. using Oncomine, Gene Expression Profiling Interactive Analysis (GEPIA), the Chinese Glioma Genome Atlas (CGGA), cBioPortal, LinkedOmics, and other databases, 693 glioma patients were screened to analyze the relationship between EMP3 and CHI3L1 expression and prognosis in glioma patients. low-grade glioma patients with a low expression of EMP3/CHI3L1 had a better prognosis, and the combination of EMP3/CHI3L1 is a new predictor for glioma patients. We used the TCGA and CGGA databases to analyze the effect of EMP3 and CHI3L1 expression on the prognosis of glioma patients and their correlation with gene expression using bioinformation analysis. The results showed that low-grade glioma patients with a low expression of EMP3 and CHI3L1 had a better prognosis, and EMP3 and CHI3L1 co-expression genes were correlated. The combination of these two factors could be a new prognostic index for glioma patients.

EMP3 as a key downstream target of miR-663a regulation interferes with MAPK/ERK signaling pathway to inhibit gallbladder cancer progression

Gallbladder carcinoma (GBC) is the most common malignancy of the biliary tract, and its molecular pathogenesis remains unclear. Here we explore the functional roles of epithelial membrane protein 3 (EMP3) in GBC progression, which is aberrantly expressed in various types of cancers. The results showed that the expression level of EMP3 was reduced in human GBC tissues compared with non-malignant tissues. Further, the low expression of EMP3 was associated with the poor prognosis of GBC patients by Kaplan-Meier analysis. The ectopic expression of EMP3 inhibited GBC cell proliferation, migration and invasion in vitro and in vivo. Conversely, the depletion of EMP3 promoted GBC cell growth and metastasis. In addition, we found that EMP3 was a target gene of miR-663a, and the downregulation of EMP3 in GBC was attributed to the overexpression of miR-663a. MiR-663a was also shown to be a tumor-promoting factor mediating GBC development. In this study, we demonstrate that downregulation of EMP3 activates MAPK/ERK signaling, which regulates GBC progression. These data reveal the mechanism by which EMP3 inhibits the progression of GBC, suggesting that the miR-663a/EMP3/MAPK/ERK axis may be a new therapeutic target for GBC treatment.