Expression Profile of EMT-related Genes and miRNAs Involved in Signal Transduction via the Wnt Pathway and Cadherins in Endometrial Cancer

Author(s):  
Nikola Zmarzły ◽  
Ewelina Hermyt ◽  
Celina Kruszniewska-Rajs ◽  
Joanna Gola ◽  
Andrzej Witek ◽  
...  

Background: Epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) is a molecular reprogramming that leads to an increased ability to migrate, which can promote invasion and metastasis. EMT can be initiated in response to the activity of signaling pathways such as Wnt as well as miRNAs. Methods: The study material consisted of 50 endometrial samples: 40 with diagnosed endometrial cancer and 10 without neoplastic changes. Expression profile of EMT-related genes was assessed with microarrays and validated by RT-qPCR. MicroRNA expression profiling was performed using microarrays. It was also determined which miRNAs may participate in the expression regulation of EMT-related genes. Results: CDH1 overexpression was observed in all three endometrial cancer grades using both mRNA microarrays and RTqPCR. Microarray experiment showed a decrease in CDH2 level regardless of the endometrial cancer grade, however it was only partially validated with RT-qPCR. Low levels of WNT2, WNT4, WNT5A have also been observed. Decreased expression of WNT2 and WNT5A may be caused by miR-331-3p and miR-200b-5p, respectively. Conclusions: The Wnt signaling is disrupted in endometrial cancer, which may be due to miR-331-3p and miR-200b-5p activity. In addition, a change in WNT5A level in endometrial cancer compared to control may indicate that it acts as a suppressor gene and that its low expression is associated with tumor progression.

Cancers ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (18) ◽  
pp. 4630
Author(s):  
Young Yi ◽  
Young Mi Woo ◽  
Kyu Ho Hwang ◽  
Hyun Sil Kim ◽  
Sang Hyeong Lee

Osteosarcoma, the most common primary bone malignancy, is typically related to growth spurts during adolescence. Prognosis is very poor for patients with metastatic or recurrent osteosarcoma, with survival rates of only 20–30%. Epithelial–mesenchymal transition (EMT) is a cellular mechanism that contributes to the invasion and metastasis of cancer cells, and Wnt signaling activates the EMT program by stabilizing Snail and β-catenin in tandem. Although the Wnt/Snail axis is known to play significant roles in the progression of osteosarcoma, and the anthelmintic agents, niclosamide and pyrvinium, have been studied as inhibitors of the Wnt pathway, their therapeutic effects and regulatory mechanisms in osteosarcoma remain unidentified. In this study, we show that both niclosamide and pyrvinium target Axin2, resulting in the suppression of EMT by the inhibition of the Wnt/Snail axis in osteosarcoma cells. Axin2 and Snail are abundant in patient samples and cell lines of osteosarcoma. The treatment of niclosamide and pyrvinium inhibits the migration of osteosarcoma cells at nanomolar concentrations. These results suggest that Axin2 and Snail are candidate therapeutic targets in osteosarcoma, and that anthelminthic agents, niclosamide and pyrvinium, may be effective for osteosarcoma patients.


2019 ◽  
Vol 12 (2) ◽  
pp. 105-114 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lisha Xie ◽  
Tao Jiang ◽  
Ailan Cheng ◽  
Ting Zhang ◽  
Pin Huang ◽  
...  

Background: Alterations in microRNAs (miRNAs) are related to the occurrence of nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) and play an important role in the molecular mechanism of NPC. Our previous studies show low expression of 14-3-3σ (SFN) is related to the metastasis and differentiation of NPC, but the underlying molecular mechanisms remain unclear. Methods: Through bioinformatics analysis, we find miR-597 is the preferred target miRNA of 14-3-3σ. The expression level of 14-3-3σ in NPC cell lines was detected by Western blotting. The expression of miR-597 in NPC cell lines was detected by qRT-PCR. We transfected miR-597 mimic, miR-597 inhibitor and 14-3-3σ siRNA into 6-10B cells and then verified the expression of 14-3-3σ and EMT related proteins, including E-cadherin, N-cadherin and Vimentin by western blotting. The changes of migration and invasion ability of NPC cell lines before and after transfected were determined by wound healing assay and Transwell assay. Results: miR-597 expression was upregulated in NPC cell lines and repaired in related NPC cell lines, which exhibit a potent tumor-forming effect. After inhibiting the miR-597 expression, its effect on NPC cell line was obviously decreased. Moreover, 14-3-3σ acts as a tumor suppressor gene and its expression in NPC cell lines is negatively correlated with miR-597. Here 14-3-3σ was identified as a downstream target gene of miR-597, and its downregulation by miR-597 drives epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) and promotes the migration and invasion of NPC. Conclusion: Based on these findings, our study will provide theoretical and experimental evidences for molecular targeted therapy of NPC.


Open Medicine ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 15 (1) ◽  
pp. 921-931
Author(s):  
Juan Zhao ◽  
Xue-Bin Zeng ◽  
Hong-Yan Zhang ◽  
Jie-Wei Xiang ◽  
Yu-Song Liu

AbstractLong non-coding RNA forkhead box D2 adjacent opposite strand RNA 1 (FOXD2-AS1) has emerged as a potential oncogene in several tumors. However, its biological function and potential regulatory mechanism in glioma have not been fully investigated to date. In the present study, RT-qPCR was conducted to detect the levels of FOXD2-AS1 and microRNA (miR)-506-5p, and western blot assays were performed to measure the expression of CDK2, cyclinE1, P21, matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)7, MMP9, N-cadherin, E-cadherin and vimentin in glioma cells. A luciferase reporter assay was performed to verify the direct targeting of miR-506-5p by FOXD2-AS1. Subsequently, cell viability was analyzed using the CCK-8 assay. Cell migration and invasion were analyzed using Transwell and wound healing assays, respectively. The results demonstrated that FOXD2-AS1 was significantly overexpressed in glioma cells, particularly in U251 cells. Knockdown of FOXD2-AS1 in glioma cells significantly inhibited cell proliferation, migration, invasion and epithelial–mesenchymal transition (EMT) and regulated the expression of CDK2, cyclinE1, P21, MMP7 and MMP9. Next, a possible mechanism for these results was explored, and it was observed that FOXD2-AS1 binds to and negatively regulates miR-506-5p, which is known to be a tumor-suppressor gene in certain human cancer types. Furthermore, overexpression of miR-506-5p significantly inhibited cell proliferation, migration, invasion and EMT, and these effects could be reversed by transfecting FOXD2-AS1 into the cells. In conclusion, our data suggested that FOXD2-AS1 contributed to glioma proliferation, metastasis and EMT via competitively binding to miR-506-5p. FOXD2-AS1 may be a promising target for therapy in patients with glioma.


Oncotarget ◽  
2016 ◽  
Vol 8 (1) ◽  
pp. 1703-1713 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tianxiu Dong ◽  
Yu Zhang ◽  
Yaodong Chen ◽  
Pengfei Liu ◽  
Tingting An ◽  
...  

2017 ◽  
Vol 42 (3) ◽  
pp. 1025-1036 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dehu Chen ◽  
Guiyuan Liu ◽  
Ning Xu ◽  
Xiaolan You ◽  
Haihua Zhou ◽  
...  

Background/Aims: Gastric cancer (GC) is a common and lethal malignancy, and AMP-activated protein kinase-related kinase 5 (ARK5) has been discovered to promote cancer metastasis in certain types of cancer. In this study, we explored the role of ARK5 in GC invasion and metastasis. Methods: ARK5 and epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT)-related markers were determined by immunohistochemistry and western blot in GC specimens. Other methods including stably transfected against ARK5 into SGC7901 and AGS cells, western blot, migration and invasion assays in vitro and nude mice tumorigenicity in vivo were also employed. Results: The results demonstrated that ARK5 expression was increased and positively correlated with metastasis, EMT-related markers and poor prognosis in patients with GC. Knockdown of ARK5 expression remarkably suppressed GC cells invasion and metastasis via regulating EMT, rather than proliferation in vitro and in vivo. And knockdown of ARK5 expression in GC cells resulted in the down-regulation of the mTOR/p70S6k signals, Slug and SIP1. Conclusion: The elevated ARK5 expression was closely associated with cancer metastasis and patient survival, and it seemed to function in GC cells migration and invasion via EMT alteration, together with the alteration of the mTOR/p70S6k signals, Slug and SIP1, thus providing a potential therapeutic target for GC.


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