Migration Ability Of Cancer Cells Research Articles

TMEM9 promotes lung adenocarcinoma progression via activating the MEK/ERK/STAT3 pathway to induce VEGF expression

Abnormal Transmembrane protein 9 (TMEM9) expression has been identified in various human tumors. However, the prognostic potential and mechanistic role of TMEM9 in lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD) remain unclear. Here, we first found a significant upregulation of TMEM9 in LUAD tissues, and TMEM9 expression was positively correlated with microvessel density (MVD), T stage, and clinical stage. Survival analysis demonstrated TMEM9 was an independent indicator of poor prognosis in LUAD patients. In addition, downregulation of TMEM9 suppressed tumor growth and metastasis in vitro and in vivo models, and reduced HUVEC proliferation, migration, and tube formation in a cancer cell/HUVEC coculture model. Furthermore, TMEM9 upregulated VEGF expression, and VEGF-neutralizing antibodies reversed HUVEC angiogenesis and cancer cell migration ability caused by overexpression of TMEM9. In contrast, recombinant VEGF (rVEGF) abolished the inhibitory effect of TMEM9-knockdown LUAD cells on HUVEC angiogenesis and tumor cell migration. Moreover, we showed that TMEM9 upregulated VEGF expression by activating the mitogen-activated protein kinase/extracellular signal-regulated kinase/STAT3 (MEK/ERK/STAT3) pathway. Together, our study provides mechanistic insights into the role of TMEM9 in LUAD and highlights the potential of targeting the TMEM9/MEK/ERK/STAT3/VEGF pathway as a novel therapy for preventing LUAD progression.

Dickkopf-1 drives perineural invasion via PI3K-AKT signaling pathway in head and neck squamous cancer.

Perineural invasion (PNI) leads to the poor prognosis of head and neck squamous cancer (HNSCC) patients, but the mechanism of PNI remains unclear. Dickkopf-1 (DKK1), a secretory protein in the Wnt signaling pathway, was found indeed upregulated in HNSCC cells and tissues. Higher expression of DKK1 was statistically relevant to T stage, N stage, PNI, and poor prognosis of HNSCC. DKK1 overexpression enhanced the migration abilities of cancer cells. Moreover, DKK1-overexpressing cancer cells promoted cancer cells invasion of peripheral nerves in vitro and in vivo. Mechanistically, DKK1 could promote the PI3K-AKT signaling pathway. The migration abilities of neuroblastoma cells, which were enhanced by DKK1-overexpressing HNSCC cell lines, could be reversed by an inhibitor of Akt (MK2206). The association of DKK1 with PNI was also confirmed in HNSCC samples. Variables, including T stage, N stage, DKK1 expression, and PNI, were used to establish a nomogram to predict the survival probability and disease-free probability at 3 and 5years. In summary, DKK1 can promote the PI3K-AKT signaling pathway in tumor cells and then could induce neuritogenesis and facilitate PNI. MK2206 may be a potential therapeutic target drug for HNSCC patients with PNI.

Abstract 5590: Engineered destabilized 3’UTR of TEAD1 therapeutically inhibits and degrades TEAD1 mRNA and YAP1 interactors across multiple cancers

Abstract The hippo pathway mediated by TEAD1 is overexpressed and oncogenic in multiple cancers. We report here the development of engineered destabilized 3’UTR of TEAD1 which overwrote and degraded oncogenic TEAD1 in ethnically diverse breast cancers, prostate cancers, ovarian cancers, and pancreatic cancer. We validated the destabilization and degradation of TEAD1 on the transcript and protein levels. This led to the loss of cancer cell size causing severe shrinkage as hippo pathway controls cells size , impaired cancer cell migration abilities and loss of cancer cell viability. These properties are titratable and specific demonstrating the specific engagement of the engineered destabilized 3’UTR of TEAD1 with oncogenic TEAD1 mRNA in destabilizing and degrading it. In a dose dependent titration analysis, we determined the IC50 of the engineered destabilized 3’UTR of TEAD1 across many cancers. IC50 dose dependent titration comparison with the engineered destabilized 3’UTR of TEAD1 constructs and chemotherapies (DNA damaging agents, microtubules inhibiting drugs, alkylating agents) as well as immune checkpoint inhibitor. We found evidence that suggests that the engineered destabilized 3’UTR of TEAD1 is superior. Mechanistically, the loss of TEAD1 led to the loss of TEAD2,3 and YAP1 and FOSL1 , JUN and c-MYC. Citation Format: Chidiebere U. Awah. Engineered destabilized 3’UTR of TEAD1 therapeutically inhibits and degrades TEAD1 mRNA and YAP1 interactors across multiple cancers [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 5590.

In-situ SERS monitoring of membrane receptor PTK7 for assessing cancer cell migration at single-cell level on a microfluidic chip

Protein tyrosine kinase-7 (PTK7), an important membrane receptor, is crucial in cell migration. Accumulated evidence suggests that aberrant PTK7 expression is associated with the occurrence of cancer. Lots of research has focused on revealing the role of PTK7 in the development of cancers, the conventional methods need transwell and western blot, masking intrinsic differences among cells, and the integrity of the cells cannot be preserved, which is important for revealing the role of PTK7 on cancer development. Herein, we present a method to monitor the expression of PTK7 receptor at single-cell level using a surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) microfluidic chip. Cell migration channel arrays were designed, and controllable chemical stimulation was generated on the microfluidic chip, enabling the cell migration at single-cell level. Raman reporter-embedded gold@silver core–shell nanoparticles (Au@4-Mercaptobenzonitrile@AgNPs) modified with DNA aptamers (Sgc8) exhibit promising binding ability to cell membrane receptor PTK7. The different migration abilities of cancer cells were accurately distinguished in the microfluidic chip. We explored the reduced expression of PTK7 on high migration ability cells at single-cell level. And the discrimination of different colorectal cancer cells was successfully realized using the SERS probes. The developed platform is expected to provide a powerful tool for investigating tumor heterogeneity and promoting clinical precision medicine.

Effect of Calcitriol in Inhibiting the Cancer Cell Growth and Promoting Apoptosis in ErbB2-positive Breast Cancer Cells.

Targeted therapies, specifically ErbB family tyrosine kinase inhibitors, have demonstrated potential for improving outcomes in patients with ErbB2-positive breast cancer. Despite their effectiveness, these therapies are associated with limitations, including high costs, side effects, drug resistance, lack of specificity, and toxicity. To overcome these challenges, drug repurposing has emerged as a promising strategy in breast cancer treatment. The aim of this investigation was to assess the influence of calcitriol on breast cancer cell lines expressing ErbB2 and comparing its effects with the conventional treatment, neratinib. We employed an MTT test to determine cell viability and utilized staining techniques to assess cell apoptosis. Flow cytometry was used to evaluate cell cycle arrest, while a scratch wound healing test was performed to examine cancer cell migration ability. Additionally, gene expression studies were conducted for calcitriol and neratinib to support our hypothesis regarding the ErbB2 gene. The repurposing of calcitriol demonstrated enhanced efficacy in suppressing cancer cell growth in ErbB2- positive breast cancer. Proportionally, calcitriol significantly reduced the viability of SK-BR-3 cells, similar to neratinib. Furthermore, calcitriol exhibited significant cytotoxicity against neratinib and substantially reduced breast cancer cell growth. These findings were corroborated by the wound healing assay, cell cycle arrest analysis, and gene expression studies, demonstrating comparable efficacy to the standard treatment, neratinib. The findings from this investigation offer compelling proof that highlights the promising role of calcitriol as an adjuvant drug with antiproliferative and antitumoral effects in the management of ErbB2-positive breast carcinoma patients. Therefore, we recommend further evaluation of calcitriol in clinical settings, particularly for the treatment of ErbB2-positive breast cancer, as it shows promise as a valuable therapeutic option.

Anti-cancer targets and molecular mechanisms of formononetin in treating osteosarcoma based on network pharmacology.

Osteosarcoma (OS) is a multifactorial bone malignancy that accounts for most cancers in children and adolescents. Formononetin has been proven to exhibit various pharmacological effects including anti-tumor, anti-obesity, anti-inflammation, and neuroprotective effects. Few studies have examined the pharmacological activities of formononetin in OS treatment, but the mechanism has not yet been completely elucidated. Network pharmacology is a new method based on the theory of system biology for analyzing the network of biological systems and selecting specific signal nodes for multi-target drug molecular design. Here, we used network pharmacology to explore the possible mechanism of formononetin in OS treatment. Human OS cell line MG63 was processed with four concentrations (0, 2, 5, 8 μg/mL) of formononetin. Subsequently, an MTT assay was performed to test cell proliferation and a scratch test was used to evaluate the migration ability of cancer cells. Caspase-3, p53, p21, and bcl-2 expression levels incubated with different concentrations of formononetin in MG63 cells were determined using Western blotting. After treated with formononetin for 48 h, MG63 cells exhibited marked apoptosis. The results revealed that certain concentrations of formononetin significantly exerted inhibitory effects on MG63 cell proliferation. Furthermore, formononetin decreased the bcl-2 level in MG63 cells but increased caspase-3, p21, and p53 levels in a concentration-dependent manner. Additionally, formononetin suppressed the expression of SATB2. Therefore, formononetin could dose-dependently inhibit MG63 cell proliferation and induce apparent cell apoptosis, providing a candidate treatment for OS, whereas SATB2 could be a potential prognostic biomarker for screening OS and therapeutic target of formononetin.

Effects of MCU-mediated Ca2+ Homeostasis on Ovarian Cancer Cell SKOV3 Proliferation, Migration and Transformation.

Atlas human proteomics database showed MCU as highly expressed in various tumor tissues, especially in ovarian cancer. Rare studies on the role of MCU and its regulation in ovarian cancer have been reported. The objective of this study was to determine role of MCU in ovarian cancer cell SKOV3 proliferation, migration, and transformation, and explore the possible mechanism. MCU siRNA on lentiviral particles were stably transfected into SKOV3 cells. CCK-8 assay was performed to analyze cell proliferation. Soft-agar colony formation assay was employed to evaluate tumorigenesis. Western blot and immunohistochemistry analyses were performed to evaluate the expression of MCU, MICU1 and phosphorylate of Akt in the ovarian cancer cell and tissue specimens. Scratch assay was combined with trans-well plates assay to detect the migration ability of cancer cells. The ROS production and Ca2+ expression were also determined. MCU expression was significantly higher in ovarian cancer tissues than normal tissues. MCU silencing decreased SKOV3 cell proliferation, migration, and transformation. ROS production was decreased after MCU silencing, depending on disturbed Ca2+ homeostasis. MICU1 expression has been found to be decreased and phosphorylation of Akt increased when MCU was silenced. Down-regulation of MCU inhibited SKOV3 cell proliferation, migration, and transformation via disturbing Ca2+ homeostasis and decreasing ROS production. MICU1 and phosphorylation of Akt are associated with MCU-mediated ovarian cancer malignancy.

Regulation of Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition by Cyrtopodion Scabrum: An in vitro Study against Colorectal Cancer Cells.

Natural treatment of cancer has received a lot of attention recently due to its advantages including low cost, and fewer side effects. In this study, we aimed to investigate the antimetastatic properties of Cyrtopodion scabrum, a common home gecko, through Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition (EMT) process. Human colon cancer HCT116 cell line was selected and allocated into the following experimental groups: untreated control, vehicle control (DMSO), Retinoic acid (RA), and two treatment groups including aqueous C.scabrum Whole Extract (CWE) and C.scabrum Cell Extract (CCE) groups. The effects of the two different extracts on the viability, migration, and morphology of HCT116 cells were investigated using MTT, colony formation, and wound healing assay as well as microscopic evaluation. We also investigated the gene expression of E-cad, N-cad, and Snail genes using Real-Time PCR analysis. Our findings revealed that CWE and CCE were toxic to the HCT116 cell line with IC50 values of 590 and 680 µg/mL, respectively. Colony formation and migration ability of cancer cells were also inhibited by the two extracts, and the morphology of the cells were determined as epithelial phenotype. Moreover, the expression of N-cad and Snail were remarkably decreased in CWE and CCE, and RA groups, while E-cad didn't change significantly as compared to the control. The results suggest that C. scabrum extract (CsE) may induce its anti-cancer activity through the inhibition of cancer cell growth and the EMT process. CCE, as a valuable natural source, could be also suggested, to be used as an alternative/complementary medicine for the treatment of cancer, in clinical trials.

The promoting effect and mechanism of Nrf2 on cell metastasis in cervical cancer

BackgroundCervical cancer (CC) has poor prognosis and high mortality rate for its metastasis during the disease progression. Epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) and anoikis are initial and pivotal steps during the metastatic process. Although higher levels of Nrf2 are associated with aggressive tumor behaviors in cervical cancer, the detailed mechanism of Nrf2 in cervical cancer metastasis, especially EMT and anoikis, remains unclear.MethodsImmunohistochemistry (IHC) was used to examine Nrf2 expression in CC. Wound healing assay and transwell analysis were used to evaluate the migration ability of CC cells. Western blot, qTR-PCR and immunofluorescent staining were used to verify the expression level of Nrf2, the EMT associated markers and anoikis associated proteins. Flow cytometry assays and cell counting were used to detect the apoptosis of cervical cancer cells. The lung and lymph node metastatic mouse model were established for studies in vivo. The interaction between Nrf2 and Snail1 was confirmed by rescue-of-function assay.ResultsWhen compared with cervical cancer patients without lymph node metastasis, Nrf2 was highly expressed in patients with lymph node metastasis. And Nrf2 was proved to enhance the migration ability of HeLa and SiHa cells. In addition, Nrf2 was positively correlated with EMT processes and negatively associated with anoikis in cervical cancer. In vivo, a xenograft assay also showed that Nrf2 facilitated both pulmonary and lymphatic distant metastasis of cervical cancer. Rescue-of-function assay further revealed the mechanism that Nrf2 impacted the metastasis of CC through Snail1.ConclusionOur fundings established Nrf2 plays a crucial role in the metastasis of cervical cancer by enhancing EMT and resistance to anoikis by promoting the expression of Snail1, with potential value as a therapeutic candidate.

Monofunctional dimetallic Ru(η6-arene) complexes inhibit NOTCH1 signaling pathway and synergistically enhance anticancer effect in combination with cisplatin or vitamin C

ONS donor ligands L1-L4 were utilized in the preparation of monofunctional dimetallic Ru(η6-arene) complexes (C1–C4). These ONS donor ligand based novel tricoordinated Ru(II) complexes bearing η6-arene co-ligand were prepared for the first time. The current methodology resulted in excellent isolated yields and these complexes were characterized in detail by different spectroscopic and spectrometric techniques. The structures of C1–C2 and C4 were characterized in solid state by single crystal X-ray analysis. The in vitro anticancer analyses showed these novel complexes suppressed the growth of breast (MCF-7), liver (HepG2) and lung (A549) cancer cells. C2 suppressed the growth of these cells in dose-dependent manner revealed form the MTT and crystal violet cell viability assays. Moreover, C2 was observed the most potent complex that was used further in detailed mechanistic analyses in cancer cells. C2 showed good cytotoxic activity at 10 μM dose level as compared to cisplatin or oxaliplatin in these cancer cells. We observed morphological changes in cancer cells upon treatment with C2. Moreover, C2 suppressed the invasion and migration ability of cancer cells. C2 induced cellular senescence to retard cell growth and suppressed the formation of cancer stem cells. Importantly, C2 showed synergistic anticancer effect in combination with cisplatin and Vitamin C to further inhibit cell growth which suggested the potential role of C2 in cancer therapy. Mechanistically, C2 inhibited NOTCH1 dependent signaling pathway to suppress cancer cell invasion, migration and cancer stem cells formation. Thus, these data suggested potential role of C2 in cancer therapy by targeting NOTCH1-dependent signaling to suppress tumorigenesis. The results obtained in this study for these novel monofunctional dimetallic Ru(η6-arene) complexes showed their high anticancer potency and this study will pave to further cytotoxicity exploration on this class of complexes.

Regorafenib induces Bim-mediated intrinsic apoptosis by blocking AKT-mediated FOXO3a nuclear export

Regorafenib (REGO) is a synthetic oral multi-kinase inhibitor with potent antitumor activity. In this study, we investigate the molecular mechanisms by which REGO induces apoptosis. REGO induced cytotoxicity, inhibited the proliferation and migration ability of cells, and induced nuclear condensation, and reactive oxygen species (ROS)-dependent apoptosis in cancer cells. REGO downregulated PI3K and p-AKT level, and prevented FOXO3a nuclear export. Most importantly, AKT agonist (SC79) not only inhibited REGO-induced FOXO3a nuclear localization and apoptosis but also restored the proliferation and migration ability of cancer cells, further demonstrating that REGO prevented FOXO3a nuclear export by deactivating PI3K/AKT. REGO treatment promotes Bim expression via the FOXO3a nuclear localization pathway following PI3K/AKT inactivation. REGO induced Bim upregulation and translocation into mitochondria as well as Bim-mediated Bax translocation into mitochondria. Fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET) analysis showed that REGO enhanced the binding of Bim to Bak/Bax. Knockdown of Bim, Bak and Bax respectively almost completely inhibited REGO-induced apoptosis, demonstrating the key role of Bim by directly activating Bax/Bak. Knockdown of Bax but not Bak inhibited REGO-induced Drp1 oligomerization in mitochondria. In conclusion, our data demonstrate that REGO promotes apoptosis via the PI3K/AKT/FOXO3a/Bim-mediated intrinsic pathway.

MUC13-miRNA-4647 axis in colorectal cancer: Prospects to identifications of risk factors and clinical outcomes.

MUC13, a transmembrane mucin glycoprotein, is overexpressed in colorectal cancer (CRC), however, its regulation and functions are not fully understood. It has been shown that MUC13 protects colonic epithelial cells from apoptosis. Therefore, studying MUC13 and MUC13-regulated pathways may reveal promising therapeutic approaches for CRC treatment. Growing evidence suggests that microRNAs (miRs) are involved in the development and progression of CRC. In the present study, the MUC13-miR-4647 axis was addressed in association with survival of patients. miR-4647 is predicted in silico to bind to the MUC13 gene and was analyzed by RT-qPCR in 187 tumors and their adjacent non-malignant mucosa of patients with CRC. The impact of previously mentioned genes on survival and migration abilities of cancer cells was validated in vitro. Significantly upregulated MUC13 (P=0.02) in was observed tumor tissues compared with non-malignant adjacent mucosa, while miR-4647 (P=0.05) showed an opposite trend. Higher expression levels of MUC13 (log-rank P=0.05) were associated with worse patient's survival. The ectopic overexpression of studied miR resulted in decreased migratory abilities and worse survival of cells. Attenuated MUC13 expression levels confirmed the suppression of colony forming of CRC cells. In summary, the present data suggested the essential role of MUC13-miR-4647 in patients' survival, and this axis may serve as a novel therapeutic target. It is anticipated MUC13 may hold significant potential in the screening, diagnosis and treatment of CRC.

Melatonin Inhibits EMT in Bladder Cancer by Targeting Autophagy.

Melatonin, a naturally biosynthesized molecule secreted by the pineal gland, exhibits antitumor activities against several different types of cancer. The mechanisms of action of melatonin against tumor progression involve cellular apoptosis, antimetastatic activity, antioxidant and mutagenic effects, antiangiogenic activity, and the restoration of cancer immune surveillance. Melatonin has anticancer activity when administered alone or in combination with standard chemotherapeutic agents, with measurable improvements seen in the clinical endpoints of tumor regression and patient survival. However, scant clinical evidence supports the use of melatonin in bladder cancer treatment. Our study has found that melatonin treatment suppresses the bladder cancer cell migratory ability by inhibiting the epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) process, which appears to be linked to melatonin-induced decreases in bladder cancer cell autophagy. Finally, an evaluation of in vivo melatonin-induced antitumor effects in an orthotopic animal model of bladder cancer indicated that melatonin treatment slightly prolonged the survival of tumor-bearing mice. Our study offers novel insights into the use of melatonin in bladder cancer treatment.

JAK1 inactivation promotes proliferation and migration of endometrial cancer cells via upregulating the hypoxia-inducible factor signaling pathway

BackgroundLoss-of-function (LOF) mutations of JAK1, a member of the JAK kinase family, were frequently observed in EC, indicating that JAK1 may act as a tumor suppressor, at least in EC. However, the mechanism of JAK1 mediated regulation of tumorigenesis remains poorly understood.MethodsThe genetic alterations of JAK1 in EC using latest sequencing dataset of EC deposited in TCGA database. The RNA-Seq dataset of EC and normal endometrial tissues from TCGA cohort was analyzed. The expression of JAK1 in EC and normal endometrial tissues were investigated using immunohistochemistry. The expression levels of genes in endometrial cancer cells were detected by quantitative reverse transcription-PCR (RT-qPCR) and western blotting. JAK1 protein was efficiently depleted by the two shRNAs. HIF1/2-α protein was efficiently depleted by siRNAs. JAK1 overexpressed EC cells were generated by an expressing plasmid. The proliferation and migration ability of cancer cells were evaluated by CCK8, colony formation assays and transwell assays. The global transcriptomic changes in JAK1-depleted KLE cells were investigated using RNA-Seq. Gene Ontology (GO) Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway enrichment analysis were used to identify the most significant pathways that were altered in JAK1-depleted KLE cells. The physical association between HIF-1/2α and JAK1 using co-immunoprecipitation (co-IP) assays.ResultsIn the present study, we found that JAK1 was frequently mutated and downregulated in EC. JAK1 knockdown promotes EC cell proliferation and migration. JAK1 overexpression reduces EC cell proliferation and migration. We examined the transcriptional profiling changes in JAK1-depleted EC cells and unexpectedly found that the hypoxia inducible factor (HIF) pathway was activated. Mechanistically, JAK1 interacts with HIF-1/2α, and reduces HIF1/2-α protein expression under hypoxia. HIF-1/2α knockdown reverses the JAK1 knockdown–induced growth and migration of EC cells under hypoxia. JAK1 knockdown or pharmacological inhibition of JAK1 kinase activity by Ruxolitinib upregulates transcription of HIF target genes under hypoxia. JAK1 overexpression downregulates transcription of HIF target genes under hypoxia.ConclusionsThese findings provide novel insights into the functional link between JAK1 LOF mutations and abnormal HIF pathway activation in EC and suggest that pharmacological inhibition of HIF1/2 represents a promising therapeutic strategy targeting JAK1-mutated ECs.3W7_hN6trihWN8_decuxdBVideo

Activation hypoxia inducible factor-1α gene affected the tumor microenvironment and induced recurrence and invasion of bladder cancer in vitro.

This work aimed to investigate the molecular mechanism of the activation of hypoxia-inducible factors under different low oxygen partial pressures. Strictly follow in vitro aseptic culture of bladder cancer cell line UMUC3 and when the cells grow in the logarithmic phase, culture the cells under different low oxygen partial pressures. Among these groups, two groups of cells were transfected with small interfering-hypoxia inducible factor 1α (si-HIF-1α) liposome plasmids to silencing the HIF-1α expression. Cell cloning experiment showed that HIF-1α will increase cell adhesion and proliferation under hypoxia. Matrigel angiogenesis experiment showed that hypoxia has a negative impact on the angiogenesis of tumor cells. Cell scratch test indicated that hypoxia has a greater impact on the migration ability of cancer cells, and HIF-1α has a significant impact on the migration process. Cell invasion test proved that hypoxia has a greater impact on the invasion ability of cancer cells, and HIF-1α has a great impact on the invasion process. HIF-1α can target the regulatory gene vascular endothelial growth factor to promote tumor cell proliferation, migration, invasion, neovascularization and lymph node metastasis.

Heterochiral dipeptide d-phenylalanyl- l-phenylalanine (H-D Phe-L Phe-OH) as a potential inducer of metastatic suppressor NM23H1 in p53 wild-type and mutant cells.

In recent years, significant progress has been made to the use-case of small peptides because of their diversified edifice and hence their versatile application scope in cancer therapy. Here we identify the heterochiral dipeptide H-D Phe-L Phe-OH (F1) as a potent inducer of the metastatic suppressor NM23H1. We divulge the effect of F1 on the major EMT/metastasis-associated genes and the implications on the invasion and migration ability of cancer cells. The anti-invasive potential of F1 was directly correlated with NM23H1 expression. Mechanistically, F1 treatment elevated p53 levels as validated by localization and transcriptional studies. In the NM23H1 knockdown condition, F1 failed to induce any p53 expression/nuclear localization, indicating that the upregulation in p53 expression by F1 is NM23H1 dependent. We also demonstrate how the antimetastatic potential of F1 is primarily mediated through NM23H1 irrespective of the p53 status of the cell. However, both NM23H1 and a functional p53 protein in conjunction govern the apoptotic and cytostatic potential of F1. Coimmunoprecipitation studies unraveled the augmentation of the p53 and NM23H1 interaction in p53 wild-type cells. However, in p53 mutated cells, no such enrichment was evidenced. We employed mouse isogenic cell lines (4T-1 and 4T-1 p53) to determine the in vivo efficacy of F1 (spontaneous and experimental models). Decreased tumor volume in the cohort injected with 4T-1 p53 cells demonstrated that while the antimetastatic potential of F1 was reliant on NM23H1, p53 activation was required for ablation of primary tumor burden. Our findings unravel that F1 treatment induces significant abrogation of the migration, invasion and metastatic potential of both p53 wild-type and p53 deficient cancers mediated through NM23H1.

PD-L1/PD-L1 signalling promotes colorectal cancer cell migration ability through RAS/MEK/ERK.

Programmed death ligand 1 (PD-L1) is widely known as an immune checkpoint, and immunotherapy through the inhibition of checkpoint molecules has become an important component in the successful treatment of tumours via programmed death 1 (PD-1)/PD-L1 signalling pathways. However, its biological functions and expression profile in colorectal cancer (CRC) are elusive. We previously found that PD-L1 can bind to PD-L1 and cause cell detachment. However, the detailed molecular mechanisms of how PD-L1 binds to PD-L1 and how it transmits signals to the cell remain unclear. In this study, we disclosed that PD-L1 expression was dramatically upregulated in CRC compared to normal tissues. Ectopic expression of PD-L1 inhibits cell adhesive capacity and promotes cell migration in CRC cell lines, while silencing PD-L1 had the opposite effects and suppressed invasion and proliferation. Mechanistically, PD-L1 was found to promote epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) through the ERK signalling molecule pathway and interacted with the 1-86 aa fragment of KRAS to transduce signals. Collectively, our study demonstrated the role of PD-L1 after binding to PD-L1 in CRC, thereby providing a new theoretical basis for further improving immunotherapy with anti-PD-L1 antibodies.

CYP26A1 Is a Novel Cancer Biomarker of Pancreatic Carcinoma: Evidence from Integration Analysis and In Vitro Experiments.

Background CYP26A1 has been reported in multiple cancers. However, the role of CYP26A1 in pancreatic cancer (PC) has not been explored. Method The public data used for this study was obtained from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA), Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO), and Cancer Cell Line Encyclopedia (CCLE) cell lines. CCK8, colony formation, and EdU assay were used to assess the proliferation ability of cancer cells. Transwell and wound healing assays were used to evaluate the invasion and migration ability of cancer cells. qRT-PCR and western blot assays were used to analyze the RNA and protein level of genes. Survival package was used for prognosis analysis. Gene Set Enrichment Analysis (GSEA) was used to identify biological pathway differences between two groups. ssGSEA analysis was used to quantify the immune microenvironment in PC tissue. GDSC and TIDE analyses were used for sensitivity analysis of chemotherapy and immunotherapy. Results Our results showed that CYP26A1 was overexpressed in PC tissue and cell lines. Meanwhile, metastatic PC cell lines tend to have a higher CYP26A1 level compared with the primary PC cell lines based on CCLE data. Moreover, CYP26A1 was associated with worse clinical features. Also, we found that CYP26A1 had a satisfactory efficiency in predicting overall survival, disease-specific survival, and progression-free interval of PC patients, independent of other clinical features. In vitro experiments indicated that CYP26A1 could significantly facilitate the proliferation, invasion, and migration ability of PC cells. GSEA showed that the pathways of angiogenesis, E2F target, MYC target, mTORC signaling, G2M checkpoint, and epithelial-mesenchymal transition were activated in high CYP26A1 patients. Immune infiltration analysis showed that CYP26A1 was positively correlated with macrophages, Th1 cells, and Treg cells, but negatively correlated with Th17 cells. TIDE analysis showed that non_responder patients had a higher CYP26A1 level compared with predicted responder patients of immunotherapy. Drug sensitivity analysis and assay showed that CYP26A1 could increase the chemotherapy sensitivity of gemcitabine. Conclusions In summary, CYP26A1 promotes PC progression and is a novel biomarker of PC, with potential for clinical application.

Polyphenol Oxidase as a Promising Alternative Therapeutic Agent for Cancer Therapy.

Cancers have always been the most difficult to fight, the treatment of cancer is still not considered. Thus, exploring new anticancer drugs is still imminent. Traditional Chinese medicine has played an important role in the treatment of cancer. Polyphenol oxidase (PPO) extracted from Edible mushroom has many related reports on its characteristics, but its role in cancer treatment is still unclear. This study aims to investigate the effects of PPO extracted from Edible mushroom on the proliferation, migration, invasion, and apoptosis of cancer cells in vitro and explore the therapeutic effects of PPO on tumors in vivo. A cell counting kit-8 (CCK8) assay was used to detect the effect of PPO on the proliferation of cancer cells. The effect of PPO on cancer cell migration ability was detected by scratch test. The effect of PPO on the invasion ability of cancer cells was detected by a transwell assay. The effect of PPO on the apoptosis of cancer cells was detected by flow cytometry. Female BALB/c mice (18–25 g, 6–8 weeks) were used for in vivo experiments. The experiments were divided into control group, model group, low-dose group (25 mg/kg), and high-dose group (50 mg/kg). In vitro, PPO extracted from Edible mushroom significantly inhibited the proliferation, migration, and invasion capability of breast cancer cell 4T1, lung cancer cell A549, and prostate cancer cell C4-2, and significantly promoted the apoptosis of 4T1, A549, and C4-2. In vivo experiments showed PPO inhibitory effect on tumor growth. Collectively, the edible fungus extract PPO could play an effective role in treating various cancers, and it may potentially be a promising agent for treating cancers.

Irradiated fibroblasts increase interleukin-6 expression and induce migration of head and neck squamous cell carcinoma.

BackgroundCytotoxic effects of radiation play an important role in the treatment of head and neck cancer. However, irradiation is known to lead to the migration of various cancer cells, including those of head and neck cancer. Recently, fibroblasts in the cancer microenvironment have been reported to be involved in this mechanism. Nevertheless, the mechanism underlying migration of head and neck cancer cells remains unclear. Herein, we aimed to elucidate this migration mechanism induced by irradiation in terms of the interaction of head and neck cancer cells with fibroblasts.MethodsWe used the head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) cell lines SAS and FaDu as well as fibroblast cell lines. These cells were irradiated and their viability was compared. In fibroblasts, changes in interleukin-6 (IL-6) secretion caused by irradiation were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). The cell migration ability of cancer cells was evaluated via a migration assay using a semipermeable membrane. HNSCC cells were cocultured with irradiated and nonirradiated fibroblasts, and their migration ability under each condition was compared. We also examined the effect of IL-6 on the migration of HNSCC cells. Furthermore, to investigate the effect of fibroblast-derived IL-6 on the migration ability of HNSCC cells, we conducted a coculture study using IL-6 neutralizing antibody.ResultsIrradiation reduced the survival of HNSCC cells, whereas fibroblasts were resistant to irradiation. Irradiation also increased IL-6 secretion by fibroblasts. Migration of HNSCC cells was enhanced by coculture with fibroblasts and further enhanced by coculture with irradiated fibroblasts. We also confirmed that the migration of HNSCC cells was induced by IL-6. The enhanced migration of cancer cells caused by coculturing with fibroblasts was canceled by the IL-6 neutralizing antibody.ConclusionThese results show that fibroblasts survive irradiation and induce the migration ability of HNSCC cells through increased secretion of IL-6.