By moonlighting in the nucleus, villin regulates epithelial plasticity

Villin is a tissue-specific, actin-binding protein involved in the assembly and maintenance of microvilli in polarized epithelial cells. Conversely, villin is also linked with the loss of epithelial polarity and gain of the mesenchymal phenotype in migrating, invasive cells. In this study, we describe for the first time how villin can switch between these disparate functions to change tissue architecture by moonlighting in the nucleus. Our study reveals that the moonlighting function of villin in the nucleus may play an important role in tissue homeostasis and disease. Villin accumulates in the nucleus during wound repair, and altering the cellular microenvironment by inducing hypoxia increases the nuclear accumulation of villin. Nuclear villin is also associated with mouse models of tumorigenesis, and a systematic analysis of a large cohort of colorectal cancer specimens confirmed the nuclear distribution of villin in a subset of tumors. Our study demonstrates that nuclear villin regulates epithelial–mesenchymal transition (EMT). Altering the nuclear localization of villin affects the expression and activity of Slug, a key transcriptional regulator of EMT. In addition, we find that villin directly interacts with a transcriptional corepressor and ligand of the Slug promoter, ZBRK1. The outcome of this study underscores the role of nuclear villin and its binding partner ZBRK1 in the regulation of EMT and as potential new therapeutic targets to inhibit tumorigenesis.

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Role of ACTN4 in Tumorigenesis, Metastasis, and EMT

Cells ◽

10.3390/cells8111427 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 8 (11) ◽

pp. 1427 ◽

Cited By ~ 7

Author(s):

Dmitri Tentler ◽

Ekaterina Lomert ◽

Ksenia Novitskaya ◽

Nikolai A. Barlev

Keyword(s):

Chromosomal Region ◽

Epithelial Mesenchymal Transition ◽

Research Progress ◽

Actin Binding ◽

Mesenchymal Transition ◽

Functional Studies ◽

Cytoskeleton Reorganization ◽

Different Types ◽

Nuclear Processes

The actin-binding protein ACTN4 belongs to a family of actin-binding proteins and is a non-muscle alpha-actinin that has long been associated with cancer development. Numerous clinical studies showed that changes in ACTN4 gene expression are correlated with aggressiveness, invasion, and metastasis in certain tumors. Amplification of the 19q chromosomal region where the gene is located has also been reported. Experimental manipulations with ACTN4 expression further confirmed its involvement in cell proliferation, motility, and epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT). However, both clinical and experimental data suggest that the effects of ACTN4 up- or down-regulation may vary a lot between different types of tumors. Functional studies demonstrated its engagement in a number of cytoplasmic and nuclear processes, ranging from cytoskeleton reorganization to regulation of different signaling pathways. Such a variety of functions may be the reason behind cell type and cell line specific responses. Herein, we will review research progress and controversies regarding the prognostic and functional significance of ACTN4 for tumorigenesis.

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Insights into Biological Role of LncRNAs in Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition

Cells ◽

10.3390/cells8101178 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 8 (10) ◽

pp. 1178 ◽

Cited By ~ 35

Author(s):

Jun-Ting Cheng ◽

Lingzhi Wang ◽

Hong Wang ◽

Feng-Ru Tang ◽

Wen-Qi Cai ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Target Genes ◽

Epithelial Mesenchymal Transition ◽

Therapeutic Potential ◽

Cell Types ◽

Mesenchymal Transition ◽

Cellular Processes ◽

Epithelial Plasticity ◽

Post Transcriptional Regulation ◽

Emt Markers

Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) are versatile regulators of gene expression and play crucial roles in diverse biological processes. Epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) is a cellular program that drives plasticity during embryogenesis, wound healing, and malignant progression. Increasing evidence shows that lncRNAs orchestrate multiple cellular processes by modulating EMT in diverse cell types. Dysregulated lncRNAs that can impact epithelial plasticity by affecting different EMT markers and target genes have been identified. However, our understanding of the landscape of lncRNAs important in EMT is far from complete. Here, we summarize recent findings on the mechanisms and roles of lncRNAs in EMT and elaborate on how lncRNAs can modulate EMT by interacting with RNA, DNA, or proteins in epigenetic, transcriptional, and post-transcriptional regulation. This review also highlights significant EMT pathways that may be altered by diverse lncRNAs, thereby suggesting their therapeutic potential.

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An early cell shape transition drives evolutionary expansion of the human forebrain

10.1101/2020.07.04.188078 ◽

2020 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Silvia Benito-Kwiecinski ◽

Stefano L. Giandomenico ◽

Magdalena Sutcliffe ◽

Erlend S. Riis ◽

Paula Freire-Pritchett ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Human Brain ◽

Cell Shape ◽

Radial Glia ◽

Epithelial Mesenchymal Transition ◽

Expression Patterns ◽

Rapid Expansion ◽

Mesenchymal Transition ◽

Brain Expansion ◽

First Time

AbstractThe human brain has undergone rapid expansion since humans diverged from other great apes, but the mechanism of this human-specific enlargement is still unknown. Here, we use cerebral organoids derived from human, gorilla and chimpanzee cells to study developmental mechanisms driving evolutionary brain expansion. We find that the differentiation of neuroepithelial cells to neurogenic radial glia is a protracted process in apes, involving a previously unrecognized transition state characterized by a change in cell shape. Furthermore, we show that human organoids are larger due to a delay in this transition. Temporally resolved RNA-seq from human and gorilla organoids reveals differences in gene expression patterns associated with cell morphogenesis, and in particular highlights ZEB2, a known regulator of epithelial-mesenchymal transition and cell shape. We show, through loss- and gain-of-function experiments, that ZEB2 promotes the progression of neuroepithelial differentiation, and its ectopic overexpression in human is sufficient to trigger a premature transition. Thus, by mimicking the nonhuman ape expression in human organoids, we are able to force the acquisition of nonhuman ape architecture, establishing for the first time, an instructive role of neuroepithelial cell shape in human brain expansion.

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Sirtuins and Cancer: Role in the Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition

Oxidative Medicine and Cellular Longevity ◽

10.1155/2016/3031459 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 2016 ◽

pp. 1-9 ◽

Cited By ~ 32

Author(s):

Raffaele Palmirotta ◽

Mauro Cives ◽

David Della-Morte ◽

Barbara Capuani ◽

Davide Lauro ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Histone Deacetylases ◽

Cancer Biology ◽

Epithelial Mesenchymal Transition ◽

Critical Role ◽

Mesenchymal Transition ◽

Transcriptional Reprogramming ◽

Epithelial Plasticity ◽

Cellular Context ◽

Considerable Impact

The human sirtuins (SIRT1–SIRT7) enzymes are a highly conserved family of NAD+-dependent histone deacetylases, which play a critical role in the regulation of a large number of metabolic pathways involved in stress response and aging. Cancer is an age-associated disease, and sirtuins may have a considerable impact on a plethora of processes that regulate tumorigenesis. In particular, growing evidence suggests that sirtuins may modulate epithelial plasticity by inducing transcriptional reprogramming leading to epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT), invasion, and metastases. Though commonly regarded as EMT inducers, sirtuins may also suppress this process, and their functional properties seem to largely depend on the cellular context, stage of cancer development, tissue of origin, and microenvironment architecture. Here, we review the role of sirtuins in cancer biology with particular emphasis on their role in EMT.

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Magnesium Chloride is an Effective Therapeutic Agent for Prostate Cancer

Functional Foods in Health and Disease ◽

10.31989/ffhd.v8i1.368 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 8 (1) ◽

pp. 62 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Julianna Maria Santos ◽

Fazle Hussain

Keyword(s):

Prostate Cancer ◽

Magnesium Chloride ◽

Epithelial Mesenchymal Transition ◽

Chromatin Condensation ◽

Myosin Ii ◽

In Vivo Studies ◽

Migration Speed ◽

Mesenchymal Transition

Background: Reduced levels of magnesium can cause several diseases and increase cancer risk. Motivated by magnesium chloride’s (MgCl2) non-toxicity, physiological importance, and beneficial clinical applications, we studied its action mechanism and possible mechanical, molecular, and physiological effects in prostate cancer with different metastatic potentials.Methods: We examined the effects of MgCl2, after 24 and 48 hours, on apoptosis, cell migration, expression of epithelial mesenchymal transition (EMT) markers, and V-H+-ATPase, myosin II (NMII) and the transcription factor NF Kappa B (NFkB) expressions.Results: MgCl2 induces apoptosis, and significantly decreases migration speed in cancer cells with different metastatic potentials. MgCl2 reduces the expression of V-H+-ATPase and myosin II that facilitates invasion and metastasis, suppresses the expression of vimentin and increases expression of E-cadherin, suggesting a role of MgCl2 in reversing the EMT. MgCl2 also significantly increases the chromatin condensation and decreases NFkB expression.Conclusions: These results suggest a promising preventive and therapeutic role of MgCl2 for prostate cancer. Further studies should explore extending MgCl2 therapy to in vivo studies and other cancer types.Keywords: Magnesium chloride, prostate cancer, migration speed, V-H+-ATPase, and EMT.

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The Role of BRCA1 in Suppressing Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition in Mammary Gland and Tumor Development

10.21236/ada612714 ◽

2014 ◽

Author(s):

Xin-Hai Pei

Keyword(s):

Mammary Gland ◽

Epithelial Mesenchymal Transition ◽

Tumor Development ◽

Mesenchymal Transition

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Effect of Annexins Translocated in Extracellular Vesicles on Tumorigenesis

Current Molecular Medicine ◽

10.2174/1566524020666200825163512 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 20 ◽

Author(s):

Qionghui Wu ◽

Haidong Wei ◽

Wenbo Meng ◽

Xiaodong Xie ◽

Zhenchang Zhang ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Tumor Cells ◽

Extracellular Vesicles ◽

Immune Cell ◽

Epithelial Mesenchymal Transition ◽

Main Role ◽

Tumor Cell Adhesion ◽

Mesenchymal Transition ◽

Calcium Dependent ◽

Tumor Neovascularization

: Annexin, a calcium-dependent phospholipid binding protein, can affect tumor cell adhesion, proliferation, apoptosis, invasion and metastasis, as well as tumor neovascularization in different ways. Recent studies have shown that annexin exists not only as an intracellular protein in tumor cells, but also in different ways to be secret outside the cell as a “crosstalk” tool for tumor cells and tumor microenvironment, thus playing an important role in the development of tumors, such as participating in epithelial-mesenchymal transition, regulating immune cell behavior, promoting neovascularization and so on. The mechanism of annexin secretion in the form of extracellular vesicles and its specific role is still unclear. This paper summarizes the main role of annexin secreted into the extracellular space in the form of extracellular vesicles in tumorigenesis and drug resistance and analyzes its possible mechanism.

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