scholarly journals Jagged1-mediated Notch activation induces epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition through Slug-induced repression of E-cadherin

2007 ◽  
Vol 204 (12) ◽  
pp. 2935-2948 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kevin G. Leong ◽  
Kyle Niessen ◽  
Iva Kulic ◽  
Afshin Raouf ◽  
Connie Eaves ◽  
...  

Aberrant expression of Jagged1 and Notch1 are associated with poor outcome in breast cancer. However, the reason that Jagged1 and/or Notch overexpression portends a poor prognosis is unknown. We identify Slug, a transcriptional repressor, as a novel Notch target and show that elevated levels of Slug correlate with increased expression of Jagged1 in various human cancers. Slug was essential for Notch-mediated repression of E-cadherin, which resulted in β-catenin activation and resistance to anoikis. Inhibition of ligand-induced Notch signaling in xenografted Slug-positive/E-cadherin–negative breast tumors promoted apoptosis and inhibited tumor growth and metastasis. This response was associated with down-regulated Slug expression, reexpression of E-cadherin, and suppression of active β-catenin. Our findings suggest that ligand-induced Notch activation, through the induction of Slug, promotes tumor growth and metastasis characterized by epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition and inhibition of anoikis.

Cancers ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (1) ◽  
pp. 209 ◽  
Author(s):  
Klaudia Skrzypek ◽  
Marcin Majka

SNAIL (SNAI1) is a zinc finger transcription factor that binds to E-box sequences and regulates the expression of genes. It usually acts as a gene repressor, but it may also activate the expression of genes. SNAIL plays a key role in the regulation of epithelial to mesenchymal transition, which is the main mechanism responsible for the progression and metastasis of epithelial tumors. Nevertheless, it also regulates different processes that are responsible for tumor growth, such as the activity of cancer stem cells, the control of cell metabolism, and the regulation of differentiation. Different proteins and microRNAs may regulate the SNAIL level, and SNAIL may be an important regulator of microRNA expression as well. The interplay among SNAIL, microRNAs, long non-coding RNAs, and circular RNAs is a key event in the regulation of tumor growth and metastasis. This review for the first time discusses different types of regulation between SNAIL and non-coding RNAs with a focus on feedback loops and the role of competitive RNA. Understanding these mechanisms may help develop novel therapeutic strategies against cancer based on microRNAs.


2019 ◽  
Vol 41 (3) ◽  
pp. 313-325 ◽  
Author(s):  
David Peeney ◽  
Sandra M Jensen ◽  
Nadia P Castro ◽  
Sarvesh Kumar ◽  
Silvia Noonan ◽  
...  

Abstract Metastasis is the primary cause of treatment failures and mortality in most cancers. Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) is refractory to treatment and rapidly progresses to disseminated disease. We utilized an orthotopic mouse model that molecularly and phenotypically resembles human TNBC to study the effects of exogenous, daily tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase-2 (TIMP-2) treatment on tumor growth and metastasis. Our results demonstrated that TIMP-2 treatment maximally suppressed primary tumor growth by ~36–50% and pulmonary metastasis by >92%. Immunostaining assays confirmed disruption of the epithelial to mesenchymal transition (EMT) and promotion of vascular integrity in primary tumor tissues. Immunostaining and RNA sequencing analysis of lung tissue lysates from tumor-bearing mice identified significant changes associated with metastatic colony formation. Specifically, TIMP-2 treatment disrupts periostin localization and critical cell-signaling pathways, including canonical Wnt signaling involved in EMT, as well as PI3K signaling, which modulates proliferative and metastatic behavior through p27 phosphorylation/localization. In conclusion, our study provides evidence in support of a role for TIMP-2 in suppression of triple-negative breast cancer growth and metastasis through modulation of the epithelial to mesenchymal transition, vascular normalization, and signaling pathways associated with metastatic outgrowth. Our findings suggest that TIMP-2, a constituent of the extracellular matrix in normal tissues, may have both direct and systemic antitumor and metastasis suppressor effects, suggesting potential utility in the clinical management of breast cancer progression.


Author(s):  
Manvir S. Tevatia ◽  
Prabhashankar Mishra ◽  
Ajay K. Baranwal ◽  
Prachi B. Nichat ◽  
Divya Shelly ◽  
...  

Abstract Overview Mesenchymal tumors of the breast are rare. Few epithelial tumors also have mesenchymal components. It is crucial to identify these as per histogenesis. This can be facilitated by markers of epithelial–mesenchymal transition (EMT) Objectives The aim of this study was to categorize the breast lesions with mesenchymal morphology and to study EMT on immunohistochemistry (IHC). Materials and Methods This is a retrospective study of 5-year duration from January 2015 to December 2019. Inclusion criteria: all breast lesions showing mesenchymal/nonepithelial morphology, complete or partial, on histology. Exclusion criteria: Mammary carcinomas without any mesenchymal/nonepithelial morphology, fibroadenomas, and lymphomas. Demographics, clinical, gross examination, histology, and IHC findings of selected cases were reviewed and recorded. Three additional markers p53, E-cadherin, and β-catenin were performed. Statistical Analysis Used Frequency calculation for each variable (IHC). Results Thirteen (2.5%) out of total 510 breast specimens showed mesenchymal histology. Of these, five (38.5%) were metaplastic breast carcinomas (MBC), four (31%) were phyllodes tumor (PT), and one (7.7%) case each of malignant peripheral nerve sheath tumor, primary stromal sarcoma of breast, pseudoangiomatous stromal hyperplasia, and myofibroblastoma. Loss of E-cadherin was seen in 4/5 (80%) MBCs and was retained in ductal component of PTs. p53 was not expressed in any of the tumors except 3/5 (60%) MBCs. β-Catenin was aberrant in all MBCs. Conclusions Primary breast tumors with mesenchymal morphology present a spectrum ranging from benign mesenchymal, fibroepithelial neoplasms to malignant tumors of mesenchymal and epithelial origin. Loss of E-cadherin, expression of p53, and aberrant expression of β-catenin are suggestive of EMT and molecular heterogeneity of MBCs.


2021 ◽  
Vol 22 (6) ◽  
pp. 2844
Author(s):  
Alena Mickova ◽  
Gvantsa Kharaishvili ◽  
Daniela Kurfurstova ◽  
Mariam Gachechiladze ◽  
Milan Kral ◽  
...  

Prostate cancer (PCa) is the second leading cause of cancer-related deaths in men in Western countries, and there is still an urgent need for a better understanding of PCa progression to inspire new treatment strategies. Skp2 is a substrate-recruiting component of the E3 ubiquitin ligase complex, whose activity is regulated through neddylation. Slug is a transcriptional repressor involved in the epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition, which may contribute to therapy resistance. Although Skp2 has previously been associated with a mesenchymal phenotype and prostate cancer progression, the relationship with Slug deserves further elucidation. We have previously shown that a high Gleason score (≥8) is associated with higher Skp2 and lower E-cadherin expression. In this study, significantly increased expression of Skp2, AR, and Slug, along with E-cadherin downregulation, was observed in primary prostate cancer in patients who already had lymph node metastases. Skp2 was slightly correlated with Slug and AR in the whole cohort (Rs 0.32 and 0.37, respectively), which was enhanced for both proteins in patients with high Gleason scores (Rs 0.56 and 0.53, respectively) and, in the case of Slug, also in patients with metastasis to lymph nodes (Rs 0.56). Coexpression of Skp2 and Slug was confirmed in prostate cancer tissues by multiplex immunohistochemistry and confocal microscopy. The same relationship between these two proteins was observed in three sets of prostate epithelial cell lines (PC3, DU145, and E2) and their mesenchymal counterparts. Chemical inhibition of Skp2, but not RNA interference, modestly decreased Slug protein in PC3 and its docetaxel-resistant subline PC3 DR12. Importantly, chemical inhibition of Skp2 by MLN4924 upregulated p27 and decreased Slug expression in PC3, PC3 DR12, and LAPC4 cells. Novel treatment strategies targeting Skp2 and Slug by the neddylation blockade may be promising in advanced prostate cancer, as recently documented for other aggressive solid tumors.


2012 ◽  
Vol 30 (30_suppl) ◽  
pp. 84-84 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jose Humberto Trevino-Villarreal ◽  
Rosalinda Sepulveda ◽  
Douglas A. Cotanche ◽  
Rick A. Rogers

84 Background: Melanoma-associated stroma cells play an important role in supporting cancer cell proliferation, invasion, and dissemination. Increased invasiveness has been observed in cancer cells undergoing epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT); however, it is unknown whether EMT is facilitated by stroma cells. We showed that pericytes constitute a predominant stroma subpopulation that promotes melanoma growth by interacting with cancer cells. This study investigates the mechanism by which pericytes facilitate melanoma development. Methods: GFP+ pericytes isolated from tumors and adipose tissue were co-cultured in vitro with B16 melanoma cells at a 3:1 ratio. After 4 days, proliferation of B16 cells and pericytes was assessed. Also, co-cultures were labeled for several markers and analyzed by flow cytometry (FC). Tumorigenicity was investigated by isolating B16 cells from co-cultures by FACS sorting and then injected into SCID mice to measure tumor growth. Results: B16 cells induced pericyte differentiation into FAP+ myofibroblasts. However, no change in the pericyte proliferation rate was observed. B16 cells co-cultured with pericytes, and later separated by FACS sorting, displayed faster proliferation rates in vitro, and induced increased tumor growth rates when injected into SCID mice, compared with naive B16 cells. Pericytes increased B16 cell proliferation rate and induced a change in cell morphology, from cobblestone to fibroblast-like colonies. Interaction between B16 cells and pericytes in co-culture increased pericyte production of TGF-β and increased the expression of the stem cell markers SSEA-1, OCT3/4 and CD271 in B16 cells. In addition, cadherin switching, demonstrated by loss of E-cadherin expression and an up-regulation of the mesenchymal markers N-cadherin and vimentin was observed in B16 cells. Conclusions: Pericyte production of TGF-β promotes B16 cell development of EMT, as shown by loss of E-cadherin expression and up-regulation of the mesenchymal markers N-cadherin and vimentin, resulting in an increase in melanoma cell tumorigenicity. These results suggest that therapies targeting stromal pericytes may be a promising approach for melanoma treatment.


2020 ◽  
Vol 21 (17) ◽  
pp. 6027
Author(s):  
Sung-Hwa Sohn ◽  
Hee Jung Sul ◽  
Bohyun Kim ◽  
Bum Jun Kim ◽  
Hyeong Su Kim ◽  
...  

Aberrant expression of mucins (MUCs) can promote the epithelial–mesenchymal transition (EMT), which leads to enhanced tumorigenesis. Carcinogenesis-related pathways involving c-MET and β-catenin are associated with MUCs. In this study, we characterized the expression of EMT-relevant proteins including MET, β-catenin, and E-cadherin in human gastric cancer (GC) cell lines, and further characterized the differential susceptibility of these cell lines compared with the c-MET inhibitor tepotinib. We assessed the antitumor activity of tepotinib in GC cell lines. The effects of tepotinib on cell viability, apoptotic cell death, EMT, and c-MET and β-catenin signaling were evaluated by 3-(4,5 dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-5-(3-carboxymethoxyphenyl-2-(4-sulfophenyl)-2H-tetrazolium (MTS), flow cytometry, Western blotting, and qRT-PCR. The antitumor efficacy was assessed in MKN45 xenograft mice. Tepotinib treatment induced apoptosis in c-MET-amplified SNU620, MKN45, and KATO III cells, but had no effect on c-MET-reduced MKN28 or AGS cells. Tepotinib treatment also significantly reduced the protein levels of phosphorylated and total c-MET, phosphorylated and total ERK, β-catenin, and c-MYC in SNU620 and MKN45 cells. In contrast, this drug was only slightly active against KATO III cells. Notably, tepotinib significantly reduced the expression of EMT-promoting genes such as MMP7, COX-2, WNT1, MUC5B, and c-MYC in c-MET-amplified GC cells and increased the expression of EMT-suppressing genes such as MUC5AC, MUC6, GSK3β, and E-cadherin. In a mouse model, tepotinib exhibited good antitumor growth activity along with increased E-cadherin and decreased phosphorylated c-MET (phospho-c-MET) protein levels. Collectively, these results suggest that tepotinib suppresses tumor growth and migration by negatively regulating c-MET-induced EMT. These findings provide new insights into the mechanism by which MUC5AC and MUC6 contribute to GC progression.


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