TMEM147 promotes hepatocellular carcinoma progress by inducing EGFR/MAPK activity

Abstract Backgroud: Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is characterized by rapid early proliferation and distant metastasis and is extremely difficult to treat. Aerobic glycolysis is a hallmark of abnormal glucose metabolism in cancer cells as has been shown to be associated with tumor proliferation and metastasis; however, the mechanisms underlying aerobic glycolysis remain unclear. Methods: Immunohistochemistry (IHC) and qRT-PCR was performed to investigate the association between TMEM147 expression and the clinicopathological characteristics and prognosis of patients with HCC. Loss- and gain-of function assays were performed to investigate the role of TMEM147 in proliferation, metastasis and glycolysis in vitro and vivo. Bioinformatic analysis and rescue assay were used to demonstrated the TMEM147 interacted with EGFR and promoted its retromer-mediated recycling back to the plasma membrane.Results: we identified TMEM147 as a protein that was highly expressed and associated with poor survival in patients with HCC. Both gain- and loss-of-function studies revealed that TMEM147 acted as a key oncoprotein by promoting HCC growth, metastasis, and glycolysis via the EGFR/ MAPK signaling pathway. Mechanistically, TMEM147 interacted with EGFR and promoted its retromer-mediated recycling back to the plasma membrane, thus increasing the stability of EGFR and prolonging activation of the downstream MAPK pathway.Conclusion: Collectively, these results demonstrated the role and functional mechanism of TMEM147 in HCC, and indicated that TMEM147 may represent a prognostic biomarker and potential therapeutic target for HCC.

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TMEM147 promotes hepatocellular carcinoma progress by inducing EGFR/MAPK activity

10.21203/rs.3.rs-15788/v2 ◽

2020 ◽

Author(s):

Chengyi Sun ◽

Jing Xu ◽

She Tian ◽

Yanqing Liu ◽

Changhao Zhu ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Hepatocellular Carcinoma ◽

Plasma Membrane ◽

Mapk Pathway ◽

Aerobic Glycolysis ◽

Bioinformatic Analysis ◽

Mapk Signaling ◽

Clinicopathological Characteristics ◽

Loss Of Function ◽

Abnormal Glucose Metabolism

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CircC16orf62 promotes hepatocellular carcinoma progression through the miR-138-5p/PTK2/AKT axis

Cell Death and Disease ◽

10.1038/s41419-021-03866-7 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 12 (6) ◽

Author(s):

Shuai Zhang ◽

Yuan Lu ◽

Hong-Yu Jiang ◽

Zhi-Mei Cheng ◽

Zi-Jing Wei ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Hepatocellular Carcinoma ◽

Predictive Marker ◽

Bioinformatic Analysis ◽

Circular Rna ◽

Mtor Pathway ◽

Loss Of Function ◽

Downstream Target ◽

Competitive Endogenous Rna

AbstractCircular RNA (circRNAs) functions vital in the pathogenesis and progression of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). However, the expressions and functions of certain circRNAs on metastasis and proliferation of that cancer is still unclear. Bioinformation analysis and qRT-PCR indicated that CircC16orf62 was prominent upregulated in HCC of which the expression level was positively associated to cancer’s malignant progression. Gain or loss-of-function studies indicated that the reduction of CircC16orf62 expression promotes the proliferation, invasion, and glycolysis of HCC in vitro and in vivo. The bioinformatic analysis found that miR-138-5p and PTK2 were the downstream target of CircC16or62. Then, the FISH(Fluorescence immunoin situ hybridization) and cell nucleoplasmic separation determined that CircC16orf62 located in the cell cytoplasm. Plasmid vectors or siRNAs were used to change the expression of CircC16orf62, miR-138-5p, and PTK2 in PC cell lines. CircC16orf62 functioned as a molecular sponge for miR-138-5p, and a competitive endogenous RNA for PTK2, promoting AKT/mTOR pathway activation. Our observations lead us to conclude that CircC16orf62 functions as an oncogene in HCC progression, behaving as a competitive endogenous RNA for miR-138-5p binding, thus activating the AKT/mTOR pathway. In conclusion, CircC16orf62 is an oncogene through the miR-138-5p/PTK2/Akt axis in HCC cells, indicating CircC16orf62 can be a therapeutic target with potentiality for liver cancer and a predictive marker for people with HCC.

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Pinocembrin-Enriched Fractions of Elytranthe parasitica (L.) Danser Modulates Apoptotic and MAPK Cellular Signaling in HepG2 Cells

Anti-Cancer Agents in Medicinal Chemistry ◽

10.2174/1871520618666180911112127 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 18 (11) ◽

pp. 1563-1572 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Nimmy Kumar ◽

Akhila H. Shrungeswara ◽

Sanchari B. Mallik ◽

Subhankar Biswas ◽

Jesil Mathew ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Hepatocellular Carcinoma ◽

Cell Cycle ◽

Cell Cycle Arrest ◽

Cell Line ◽

Hepg2 Cells ◽

Mapk Pathway ◽

Mapk Signaling ◽

Expression Levels ◽

Cycle Arrest

Background: Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the fifth leading cause of cáncer mortality. Elytranthe parasitica (L.) Danser (EP), a hemiparasitic plant (Loranthaceae) has potent anti-cancer properties. Objective: In the study, we investigated the effect of EP fractions on the expression of apoptosis and mitogenactivated protein kinase (MAPK) markers deregulated in HCC. Bioactivity fractionation was performed to isolate the phytochemical(s) exerting anti-tumor activity in HepG2 cells. Method: Anti-proliferative, clonogenic and anti-metastatic effects of EP fractions were examined in hepatocellular carcinoma cell line, HepG2 by Sulphorhodamine B, colony formation and scratch wound assays respectively in hepatocellular cell line, HepG2. The effects of EP fractions on key markers of apoptosis and MAPK signaling pathways were explored. </P><P> Key findings: EP bioactive fractions showed significant anti-tumor potential, reduced clonogenicity and considerably inhibited cell migration in HepG2 cells in vitro. The fractions augmented annexin V binding and induced apoptosis by causing cell cycle arrest at G2/M and S phase checkpoints. The fractions increased expression levels of p53, bad, cleaved PARP (Poly ADP ribose polymerase) and cleaved Caspase-3. Expression levels of phosphorylated ERK1/2 (Extracellular signal-regulated kinase) were downregulated. Pinocembrin-7-O-ß-D-glucoside and chrysin were isolated and characterized for the first time from Elytranthe parasitica (L.) Danser. Conclusion: Our findings reveal that EP fractions induced cell cycle arrest and triggered apoptosis in HepG2 cells by upregulating apoptosis and deactivating MAPK pathway. It signifies that pinocembrin glycoside and chrysin are bioactive phytochemicals contributing to the potent anti-hepatocarcinoma effects on HepG2 cells. Hence, bioactive EP fractions could be used as a therapeutic agent for effective HCC therapy.

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Antimetastatic Effects of Sesamin on Human Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma through Regulation of Matrix Metalloproteinase-2

Molecules ◽

10.3390/molecules25092248 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 25 (9) ◽

pp. 2248 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Jian-Ming Chen ◽

Pei-Yin Chen ◽

Chia-Chieh Lin ◽

Ming-Chang Hsieh ◽

Jen-Tsun Lin

Keyword(s):

Oral Cancer ◽

Matrix Metalloproteinase ◽

Head And Neck ◽

Mapk Pathway ◽

Human Head ◽

Mapk Signaling ◽

Matrix Metalloproteinase 2 ◽

Migration And Invasion ◽

Dependent Manner

Background: Sesamin is a lignin present in sesame oil from the bark of Zanthoxylum spp. Sesamin reportedly has anticarcinogenic potential and exerts anti-inflammatory effects on several tumors. Hypothesis/Purpose: However, the effect of sesamin on metastatic progression in human head and neck squamous carcinoma (HNSCC) remains unknown in vitro and in vivo; hence, we investigated the effect of sesamin on HNSCC cells in vitro. Methods and Results: Sesamin-treated human oral cancer cell lines FaDu, HSC-3, and Ca9-22 were subjected to a wound-healing assay. Furthermore, Western blotting was performed to assess the effect of sesamin on the expression levels of matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-2 and proteins of the MAPK signaling pathway, including p-ERK1/2, P-p38, and p-JNK1/2. In addition, we investigated the association between MMP-2 expression and the MAPK pathway in sesamin-treated oral cancer cells. Sesamin inhibited cell migration and invasion in FaDu, Ca9-22, and HSC-3 cells and suppressed MMP-2 at noncytotoxic concentrations (0 to 40 μM). Furthermore, sesamin significantly reduced p38 MAPK and JNK phosphorylation in a dose-dependent manner in FaDu and HSC-3 cells. Conclusions: These results indicate that sesamin suppresses the migration and invasion of HNSCC cells by regulating MMP-2 and is thus a potential antimetastatic agent for treating HNSCC.

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USP29-mediated HIF1α stabilization is associated with Sorafenib resistance of hepatocellular carcinoma cells by upregulating glycolysis

Oncogenesis ◽

10.1038/s41389-021-00338-7 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 10 (7) ◽

Author(s):

Ruize Gao ◽

David Buechel ◽

Ravi K. R. Kalathur ◽

Marco F. Morini ◽

Mairene Coto-Llerena ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Hepatocellular Carcinoma ◽

Transcriptional Activity ◽

Kinase Inhibitor ◽

Aerobic Glycolysis ◽

Hypoxia Inducible Factor ◽

Aberrant Expression ◽

Key Enzyme ◽

Hcc Cells

AbstractUnderstanding the mechanisms underlying evasive resistance in cancer is an unmet medical need to improve the efficacy of current therapies. In hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), aberrant expression of hypoxia-inducible factor 1 α (HIF1α) and increased aerobic glycolysis metabolism are drivers of resistance to therapy with the multi-kinase inhibitor Sorafenib. However, it has remained unknown how HIF1α is activated and how its activity and the subsequent induction of aerobic glycolysis promote Sorafenib resistance in HCC. Here, we report the ubiquitin-specific peptidase USP29 as a new regulator of HIF1α and of aerobic glycolysis during the development of Sorafenib resistance in HCC. In particular, we identified USP29 as a critical deubiquitylase (DUB) of HIF1α, which directly deubiquitylates and stabilizes HIF1α and, thus, promotes its transcriptional activity. Among the transcriptional targets of HIF1α is the gene encoding hexokinase 2 (HK2), a key enzyme of the glycolytic pathway. The absence of USP29, and thus of HIF1α transcriptional activity, reduces the levels of aerobic glycolysis and restores sensitivity to Sorafenib in Sorafenib-resistant HCC cells in vitro and in xenograft transplantation mouse models in vivo. Notably, the absence of USP29 and high HK2 expression levels correlate with the response of HCC patients to Sorafenib therapy. Together, the data demonstrate that, as a DUB of HIF1α, USP29 promotes Sorafenib resistance in HCC cells, in parts by upregulating glycolysis, thereby opening new avenues for therapeutically targeting Sorafenib-resistant HCC in patients.

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LINC00680 enhances hepatocellular carcinoma stemness behavior and chemoresistance by sponging miR-568 to upregulate AKT3

Journal of Experimental & Clinical Cancer Research ◽

10.1186/s13046-021-01854-5 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 40 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Gege Shu ◽

Huizhao Su ◽

Zhiqian Wang ◽

Shihui Lai ◽

Yan Wang ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Hepatocellular Carcinoma ◽

Xenograft Model ◽

Luciferase Reporter ◽

Loss Of Function ◽

Mechanism Study ◽

Downstream Signaling ◽

Mouse Xenograft Model ◽

High Level

Abstract Background Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) has an extremely poor prognosis due to the development of chemoresistance, coupled with inherently increased stemness properties. Long non-coding RNAs (LncRNAs) are key regulators for tumor cell stemness and chemosensitivity. Currently the relevance between LINC00680 and tumor progression was still largely unknown, with only one study showing its significance in glioblastoma. The study herein was aimed at identifying the role of LINC00680 in the regulation HCC stemness and chemosensitivity. Methods QRT-PCR was used to detect the expression of LINC00680, miR-568 and AKT3 in tissue specimen and cell lines. Gain- or loss-of function assays were applied to access the function of LINC00680 in HCC cells, including cell proliferation and stemness properties. HCC stemness and chemosensitivity were determined by sphere formation, cell viability and colony formation. Luciferase reporter, RNA immunoprecipitation (RIP), and RNA pull-down assays were performed to examine the interaction between LINC00680 and miR-568 as well as that between miR-568 and AKT3. A nude mouse xenograft model was established for the in vivo study. Results We found that LINC00680 was remarkably upregulated in HCC tissues. Patients with high level of LINC00680 had poorer prognosis. LINC00680 overexpression significantly enhanced HCC cell stemness and decreased in vitro and in vivo chemosensitivity to 5-fluorouracil (5-Fu), whereas LINC00680 knockdown led to opposite results. Mechanism study revealed that LINC00680 regulated HCC stemness and chemosensitivity through sponging miR-568, thereby expediting the expression of AKT3, which further activated its downstream signaling molecules, including mTOR, elF4EBP1, and p70S6K. Conclusion LINC00680 promotes HCC stemness properties and decreases chemosensitivity through sponging miR-568 to activate AKT3, suggesting that LINC00680 might be a potentially important HCC diagnosis marker and therapeutic target.

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Upregulation of SGOL2 Predicts Poor Prognosis and Facilitates Hepatocellular Carcinoma Progression via Dysregulating the Cell Cycle by Directly Activating MAD2

10.21203/rs.3.rs-560609/v1 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Qingqing Hu ◽

Xiaochu Hu ◽

Yalei Zhao ◽

Lingjian Zhang ◽

Ya Yang ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Hepatocellular Carcinoma ◽

Cell Cycle ◽

The Cancer Genome Atlas ◽

Loss Of Function ◽

Protein Levels ◽

Cancer Genome Atlas ◽

Centromeric Protein ◽

Hcc Cells

Abstract Background: Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the third leading cause of cancer-related death worldwide. Shugoshin-like protein 2 (SGOL2) is a centromeric protein that ensures the correct and orderly process of mitosis by protecting and maintaining centripetal adhesions during meiosis and mitosis. However, the role of SGOL2 in cancer is not well understood. Methods: The mRNA and protein levels of SGOL2 and survival analysis were conducted in The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) and further validated in 2 independent cohorts. Differential genes correlated with SGOL2 and mitotic arrest deficient 2 like 1 (MAD2) were obtained using LinkedOmics. Subsequently, loss-of-function and rescue assays were carried out in vitro and in vivo to assess the functions of SGOL2 in hepatic tumorigenisis. Findings: We found that SGOL2 was significantly overexpressed in HCC and predicted unfavorable overall survival in HCC patients. Next, we identified 47 differentially expressed genes positively correlated with both SGOL2 and MAD2 to be mainly involved in the cell cycle. In addition, SGOL2 downregulation suppressed the migration, invasion, proliferation, stemness and EMT of HCC cells and inhibited tumorigenesis in vivo. Furthermore, SGOL2 promoted tumor proliferation by activating MAD2-induced cell cycle dysregulation, which could be reversed by the MAD2 inhibitor M2I-1. We also proved that SGOL2 activated MAD2 by directly binding with MAD2. Conclusions: The results of this study showed that SGOL2 acts as an oncogene in HCC cells by directly activating MAD2 and then dysregulating the cell cycle, thereby providing a potential target for HCC patients in the future.

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LncRNA MALAT1 exhibits positive effects on nucleus pulposus cell biology in vivo and in vitro by sponging miR-503

10.21203/rs.2.17571/v2 ◽

2020 ◽

Author(s):

Hongyu Zheng ◽

Tingting Wang ◽

Xiangmin Li ◽

Wei He ◽

Zhiqiang Gong ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Nucleus Pulposus ◽

Disc Degeneration ◽

Cell Biology ◽

Mapk Pathway ◽

Critical Role ◽

Mapk Signaling ◽

Positive Effects ◽

Lncrna Malat1

Abstract Background: Intervertebral disc degeneration (IDD) is characterized by the loss of nucleus pulposus cells (NPCs) and phenotypic abnormalities. Accumulating evidence suggests that long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) are involved in the pathogenesis of IDD. In this study, we aimed to investigate the functional effects of lncRNA MALAT1 on NPCs in IDD and the possible mechanism governing these effects. Results: We validated the decreased expression of MALAT1 in the IDD tissues, which was associated with decreased Collagen II and Aggrecan expression. In vitro, overexpressed MALAT1 could attenuate the effect of IL-1β on NPC proliferation, apoptosis, and Aggrecan degradation. In vivo, MALAT1 overexpression attenuated the severity of disc degeneration in IDD model rats. Our molecular study further demonstrated that MALAT1 could sponge miR-503, modulate the expression of miR-503, and activate downstream MAPK signaling pathways. The effects of MALAT1 on NPCs were partially reversed/aggregated by miR-503 mimics/inhibitor treatment. Conclusion: Our data suggested that the MALAT1-miR-503-MAPK pathway plays a critical role in NPCs, which may be a potential strategy for alleviating IDD.

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Stiffer Matrix Accelerates Migration of Hepatocellular Carcinoma Cells through Enhanced Aerobic Glycolysis Via the MAPK-YAP Signaling

Cancers ◽

10.3390/cancers12020490 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 12 (2) ◽

pp. 490 ◽

Cited By ~ 7

Author(s):

Qiu-Ping Liu ◽

Qing Luo ◽

Bin Deng ◽

Yang Ju ◽

Guan-Bin Song

Keyword(s):

Hepatocellular Carcinoma ◽

Extracellular Matrix ◽

Cell Migration ◽

Aerobic Glycolysis ◽

Mapk Signaling ◽

Carcinoma Cells ◽

Metabolic Reprogramming ◽

Signaling Cascade ◽

And Migration ◽

Hcc Cells

Increased extracellular matrix (ECM) stiffness and metabolic reprogramming of cancer cells are two fundamental mediators of tumor progression, including hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Yet, the correlation between ECM stiffness and excessive aerobic glycolysis in promoting the development of HCC remains unknown. Here, we demonstrated that stiffer ECM promotes HCC cell migration depending on their accelerated aerobic glycolysis. Our results also indicated that stiffer ECM-induced YAP activation plays a major role in promoting aerobic glycolysis of HCC cells. Moreover, we showed that JNK and p38 MAPK signaling are critical for mediating YAP activation in HCC cells. Together, our findings established that the MAPK-YAP signaling cascade that act as a mechanotransduction pathway is essential for promoting HCC cell aerobic glycolysis and migration in response to ECM stiffness.

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CDK12 inhibition mediates DNA damage and is synergistic with sorafenib treatment in hepatocellular carcinoma

Gut ◽

10.1136/gutjnl-2019-318506 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 69 (4) ◽

pp. 727-736 ◽

Cited By ~ 10

Author(s):

Cun Wang ◽

Hui Wang ◽

Cor Lieftink ◽

Aimee du Chatinier ◽

Dongmei Gao ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Hepatocellular Carcinoma ◽

Dna Damage ◽

Cell Lines ◽

Synergistic Effects ◽

Loss Of Function ◽

Bioinformatics Analyses ◽

Sorafenib Treatment ◽

Hcc Cells

ObjectivesHepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is one of the most frequent malignancies and a major leading cause of cancer-related deaths worldwide. Several therapeutic options like sorafenib and regorafenib provide only modest survival benefit to patients with HCC. This study aims to identify novel druggable candidate genes for patients with HCC.DesignA non-biased CRISPR (clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats) loss-of-function genetic screen targeting all known human kinases was performed to identify vulnerabilities of HCC cells. Whole-transcriptome sequencing (RNA-Seq) and bioinformatics analyses were performed to explore the mechanisms of the action of a cyclin-dependent kinase 12 (CDK12) inhibitor in HCC cells. Multiple in vitro and in vivo assays were used to study the synergistic effects of the combination of CDK12 inhibition and sorafenib.ResultsWe identify CDK12 as critically required for most HCC cell lines. Suppression of CDK12 using short hairpin RNAs (shRNAs) or its inhibition by the covalent small molecule inhibitor THZ531 leads to robust proliferation inhibition. THZ531 preferentially suppresses the expression of DNA repair-related genes and induces strong DNA damage response in HCC cell lines. The combination of THZ531 and sorafenib shows striking synergy by inducing apoptosis or senescence in HCC cells. The synergy between THZ531 and sorafenib may derive from the notion that THZ531 impairs the adaptive responses of HCC cells induced by sorafenib treatment.ConclusionOur data highlight the potential of CDK12 as a drug target for patients with HCC. The striking synergy of THZ531 and sorafenib suggests a potential combination therapy for this difficult to treat cancer.

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