HOXC9 overexpression is associated with gastric cancer progression and a prognostic marker for poor survival in gastric cancer patients

Pleckstrin-2 (PLEK2) is a crucial mediator of cytoskeletal reorganization. However, the potential roles of PLEK2 in gastric cancer are still unknown. PLEK2 expression in gastric cancer was examined by western blotting and real-time PCR. Survival analysis was utilized to test the clinical impacts of the levels of PLEK2 in gastric cancer patients. In vitro and in vivo studies were used to estimate the potential roles played by PLEK2 in modulating gastric cancer proliferation, self-renewal, and tumourigenicity. Bioinformatics approaches were used to monitor the effect of PLEK2 on epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) signalling pathways. PLEK2 expression was significantly upregulated in gastric cancer as compared with nontumour samples. Kaplan-Meier plotter analysis revealed that gastric cancer patients with higher PLEK2 levels had substantially poorer overall survival compared with gastric cancer patients with lower PLEK2 levels. The upregulation or downregulation of PLEK2 in gastric cancer cell lines effectively enhanced or inhibited cell proliferation and proinvasive behaviour, respectively. Additionally, we also found that PLEK2 enhanced EMT through downregulating E-cadherin expression and upregulating Vimentin expression. Our findings demonstrated that PLEK2 plays a potential role in gastric cancer and may be a novel therapeutic target for gastric cancer.

Download Full-text

Core 1–derived mucin-type O-glycosylation protects against spontaneous gastritis and gastric cancer

Journal of Experimental Medicine ◽

10.1084/jem.20182325 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 217 (1) ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Fei Liu ◽

Jianxin Fu ◽

Kirk Bergstrom ◽

Xindi Shan ◽

J. Michael McDaniel ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Gastric Cancer ◽

Cancer Progression ◽

Critical Role ◽

Gastric Epithelium ◽

Tn Antigen ◽

Gastric Mucus ◽

Truncated Form ◽

Gastric Cancer Patients ◽

Gastric Cancer Progression

Core 1–derived mucin-type O-glycans (O-glycans) are a major component of gastric mucus with an unclear role. To address this, we generated mice lacking gastric epithelial O-glycans (GEC C1galt1−/−). GEC C1galt1−/− mice exhibited spontaneous gastritis that progressed to adenocarcinoma with ∼80% penetrance by 1 yr. GEC C1galt1−/− gastric epithelium exhibited defective expression of a major mucus forming O-glycoprotein Muc5AC relative to WT controls, which was associated with impaired gastric acid homeostasis. Inflammation and tumorigenesis in GEC C1galt1−/− stomach were concurrent with activation of caspases 1 and 11 (Casp1/11)–dependent inflammasome. GEC C1galt1−/− mice genetically lacking Casp1/11 had reduced gastritis and gastric cancer progression. Notably, expression of Tn antigen, a truncated form of O-glycan, and CASP1 activation was associated with tumor progression in gastric cancer patients. These results reveal a critical role of O-glycosylation in gastric homeostasis and the protection of the gastric mucosa from Casp1-mediated gastric inflammation and cancer.

Download Full-text