scholarly journals Impact of Epithelial–Mesenchymal Transition on the Immune Landscape in Breast Cancer

Cancers ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (20) ◽  
pp. 5099
Author(s):  
Fatima-Zohra Khadri ◽  
Marianne Samir Makboul Issac ◽  
Louis Arthur Gaboury
Keyword(s):  
Breast Cancer ◽  
Inflammatory Infiltrate ◽  
Epithelial Mesenchymal Transition ◽  
Expression Patterns ◽  
Clinicopathological Parameters ◽  
Breast Cancer Patients ◽  
Mesenchymal Transition ◽  
Cancer Tumor ◽  
The Impact ◽  
E Cadherin

The impact of epithelial–mesenchymal transition (EMT) signature on the immune infiltrate present in the breast cancer tumor microenvironment (TME) is still poorly understood. Since there is mounting interest in the use of immunotherapy for the treatment of subsets of breast cancer patients, it is of major importance to understand the fundamental tumor characteristics which dictate the inter-tumor heterogeneity in immune landscapes. We aimed to assess the impact of EMT-related markers on the nature and magnitude of the inflammatory infiltrate present in breast cancer TME and their association with the clinicopathological parameters. Tissue microarrays were constructed from 144 formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded invasive breast cancer tumor samples. The protein expression patterns of Snail, Twist, ZEB1, N-cadherin, Vimentin, GRHL2, E-cadherin, and EpCAM were examined by immunohistochemistry (IHC). The inflammatory infiltrate in the TME was assessed semi-quantitatively on hematoxylin and eosin (H&E)-stained whole sections and was characterized using IHC. The inflammatory infiltrate was more intense in poorly differentiated carcinomas and triple-negative carcinomas in which the expression of E-cadherin and GRHL2 was reduced, while EpCAM was overexpressed. Most EMT-related markers correlated with plasma cell infiltration of the TME. Taken together, our findings reveal that the EMT signature might impact the immune response in the TME.

scholarly journals Activated Androgen Receptor Downregulates E-Cadherin Gene Expression and Promotes Tumor Metastasis

2008 ◽  
Vol 28 (23) ◽  
pp. 7096-7108 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yan-Nian Liu ◽  
Ying Liu ◽  
Han-Jung Lee ◽  
Yung-Hsiang Hsu ◽  
Ji-Hshiung Chen
Keyword(s):  
Breast Cancer ◽  
Gene Expression ◽  
Androgen Receptor ◽  
Tumor Metastasis ◽  
Epithelial Mesenchymal Transition ◽  
Synergistic Effects ◽  
Cell Junction ◽  
Breast Cancer Patients ◽  
Mesenchymal Transition ◽  
E Cadherin

ABSTRACT The loss of E-cadherin gene expression can cause the dysfunction of the cell-cell junction to trigger tumor metastasis. Members of the Snail family of transcription factors are repressors of the expression of the E-cadherin gene. In this study, we showed that the activated androgen receptor (AR) is a novel repressor of E-cadherin gene expression and can promote metastasis. Our results demonstrated that the activated AR could bind to the E-cadherin promoter in vitro and in vivo. The activated AR and HDAC1 had synergistic effects in downregulating E-cadherin gene expression. Treating cells with the AR ligand, dihydrotestosterone (DHT), triggered the reduction of E-cadherin expression and induced changes in cell morphology from an epithelial-like to a mesenchymal-like appearance. When nonmetastatic breast cancer cells expressing cytoplasmic AR were transplanted into mice and the mice were treated with DHT, tumors were detected at metastatic sites, whereas no tumors were detected in transplanted mice without DHT treatment. Furthermore, clinical data from breast cancer patients with invasive ductal carcinomas showed high levels of AR expression in the nuclei and low levels of E-cadherin expression. These results suggest that, similarly to Snail and Twist, the activated AR can downregulate E-cadherin expression to promote the activation of epithelial-mesenchymal transition and tumor metastasis.

scholarly journals Distinct Ring1b complexes defined by DEAD-box helicases and EMT transcription factors synergistically enhance E-cadherin silencing in breast cancer

2021 ◽  
Vol 12 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Yawei Wang ◽  
Yingying Sun ◽  
Chao Shang ◽  
Lili Chen ◽  
Hongyu Chen ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Breast Cancer ◽  
Transcription Factors ◽  
Cancer Cells ◽  
Epithelial Mesenchymal Transition ◽  
Epigenetic Mechanism ◽  
Regulation Mechanism ◽  
Rna Helicases ◽  
Mesenchymal Transition ◽  
Dead Box ◽  
E Cadherin

AbstractRing1b is a core subunit of polycomb repressive complex 1 (PRC1) and is essential in several high-risk cancers. However, the epigenetic mechanism of Ring1b underlying breast cancer malignancy is poorly understood. In this study, we showed increased expression of Ring1b promoted metastasis by weakening cell–cell adhesions of breast cancer cells. We confirmed that Ring1b could downregulate E-cadherin and contributed to an epigenetic rewiring via PRC1-dependent function by forming distinct complexes with DEAD-box RNA helicases (DDXs) or epithelial-mesenchymal transition transcription factors (EMT TFs) on site-specific loci of E-cadherin promoter. DDXs-Ring1b complexes moderately inhibited E-cadherin, which resulted in an early hybrid EMT state of epithelial cells, and EMT TFs-Ring1b complexes cooperated with DDXs-Ring1b complexes to further repress E-cadherin in mesenchymal-like cancer cells. Clinically, high expression of Ring1b with DDXs or EMT TFs predicted low levels of E-cadherin, metastatic behavior, and poor prognosis. These findings provide an epigenetic regulation mechanism of Ring1b complexes in E-cadherin expression. Ring1b complexes may be potential therapeutic targets and biomarkers for diagnosis and prognosis in invasion breast cancer.

scholarly journals Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition Phenotype, Metformin, and Survival for Colorectal Cancer Patients with Diabetes Mellitus II

2017 ◽  
Vol 2017 ◽  
pp. 1-10 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yaodu Wang ◽  
Zhiyang Wu ◽  
Likuan Hu
Keyword(s):  
Diabetes Mellitus ◽  
Colorectal Cancer ◽  
Epithelial Mesenchymal Transition ◽  
Disease Free Survival ◽  
Multivariate Regression Analysis ◽  
Stage I ◽  
Clinicopathological Parameters ◽  
Mesenchymal Transition ◽  
Patients With Diabetes ◽  
E Cadherin

Objectives. We aimed to explore the association between metformin treatment and epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) phenotype and further appraise the prognostic values of metformin and EMT markers E-cadherin and vimentin for colorectal cancer (CRC) in clinical practice. Methods. We collected specimens and evaluated clinicopathological parameters of 102 stage I to III CRC patients with prediagnosed type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM II). Expression of E-cadherin and vimentin in tumors was detected by immunohistochemistry (IHC), and statistical analysis was performed using SPSS 19.0. Results. In correlation tests, we found a lower tumor cell EMT degree (more E-cadherin (P=0.014) and less vimentin (P=0.011) expression in patients who used metformin, and the expression of E-cadherin and vimentin was associated with serum CA19-9 (P=0.048, P=0.009), tumor invasive depth (T) (P<0.001, P=0.045), and lymph invasion (N) (P=0.013, P=0.001). In Cox multivariate regression analysis, E-cadherin was identified as a prognostic factor for disease-free survival (DFS) (P=0.038) and metformin use (P=0.015P=0.044) and lymph invasion (P=0.016P=0.023) were considered as the prognostic factors for both DFS and overall survival (OS). Conclusion. Our study suggested that metformin may impede the EMT process and improve survival for stage I–III CRC patients with DM II.

scholarly journals Twist-mediated PAR1 induction is required for breast cancer progression and metastasis by inhibiting Hippo pathway

2020 ◽  
Vol 11 (7) ◽  
Author(s):  
Yifan Wang ◽  
Ruocen Liao ◽  
Xingyu Chen ◽  
Xuhua Ying ◽  
Guanping Chen ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Breast Cancer ◽  
Cancer Cells ◽  
Cancer Progression ◽  
Invasive Breast Cancer ◽  
Breast Cancer Cells ◽  
Epithelial Mesenchymal Transition ◽  
Hippo Pathway ◽  
Breast Cancer Patients ◽  
Mesenchymal Transition

Abstract Breast cancer is considered to be the most prevalent cancer in women worldwide, and metastasis is the primary cause of death. Protease-activated receptor 1 (PAR1) is a GPCR family member involved in the invasive and metastatic processes of cancer cells. However, the functions and underlying mechanisms of PAR1 in breast cancer remain unclear. In this study, we found that PAR1 is highly expressed in high invasive breast cancer cells, and predicts poor prognosis in ER-negative and high-grade breast cancer patients. Mechanistically, Twist transcriptionally induces PAR1 expression, leading to inhibition of Hippo pathway and activation of YAP/TAZ; Inhibition of PAR1 suppresses YAP/TAZ-induced epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT), invasion, migration, cancer stem cell (CSC)-like properties, tumor growth and metastasis of breast cancer cells in vitro and in vivo. These findings suggest that PAR1 acts as a direct transcriptionally target of Twist, can promote EMT, tumorigenicity and metastasis by controlling the Hippo pathway; this may lead to a potential therapeutic target for treating invasive breast cancer.

scholarly journals 925 Utilizing multiplex immunofluorescence to explore the epithelial-mesenchymal transition in breast, ovarian cancers

2021 ◽  
Vol 9 (Suppl 3) ◽  
pp. A970-A970
Author(s):  
Danielle Fails ◽  
Michael Spencer
Keyword(s):  
Breast Cancer ◽  
Invasive Ductal Carcinoma ◽  
Poor Prognosis ◽  
Epithelial Mesenchymal Transition ◽  
Ductal Carcinoma ◽  
Beta Catenin ◽  
Mesenchymal Transition ◽  
Cell Counts ◽  
Grade Ii ◽  
E Cadherin

BackgroundEpithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) is instrumental during embryonic development—assisting in extensive movement and differentiation of cells. However, during metastasis and tumorigenesis, this process is hijacked. The disruption of this developmental process, and subsequent acquisition of a mesenchymal phenotype, has been shown to increase therapeutic resistance and often leads to poor prognosis in breast cancer.1 Using bioinformatic resources and current clinical data, we designed a panel of biomarkers of value to specifically observe this epithelial/mesenchymal transition.MethodsHuman breast cancer FFPE tissue samples were stained with Bethyl Laboratories IHC-validated primary antibodies, followed by Bethyl HRP-conjugated secondary antibodies, and detected using Akoya Opal™ Polaris 7-color IHC kit fluorophores (Akoya Biosciences [NEL861001KT]). The panel consisted of beta-Catenin, E-Cadherin, Ki67, CD3e, PD-L1, and FOXP3. Antibody staining order was optimized using tissue microarray serial sections, three slides per target, and stained in either the first, third, or sixth position via heat-induced epitope retrieval (HIER) methods. Exposure time was maintained for all three slides/target and cell counts, signal intensity, background, and autofluorescence were analyzed. The final optimized order was then tested on the breast cancer microarray in seven-color mIF. Whole slide scans were generated using the Vectra Polaris® and analyses performed using InForm® and R® Studio.ResultsTwo integral EMT targets, E-Cadherin and beta-Catenin, were used to observe a key occurrence in this transition. Under tumorigenic circumstances, when released from the complex they form together (E-cadherin-B-catenin complex), Beta-catenin can induce EMT. This disjunction/activation of EMT can be seen in the invasive ductal carcinoma below (figure 1).The disorganized E-cadherin cells are in direct contrast to normal, non-cancerous cells in similar tissue. Total CD3e cell counts were down (2%), with 35% cells restricted to the stroma vs. the 1% seen intra-tumorally. Coupled with the elevated presence of Ki67 (10%), a level of rapid cancer growth and potential metastasis (Invasive Ductal Carcinoma Grade II) can be observed.Abstract 925 Figure 1Invasive ductal carcinoma, grade II stained with a 6-plex mIF panel designed to show the epithelial-mesenchymal transitionConclusionsThe presence of EMT in breast cancers is often indicative of a poor prognosis, so the need for reliable markers is imperative. E-Cadherin and beta-Catenin are both up-and-coming clinical targets that can serve to outline this transition within the tumor microenvironment. By utilizing these markers in mIF, closer spatial examination of proteins of interest can be achieved. The application of this mIF panel has the potential to provide invaluable insights into how tumor infiltrating lymphocytes behave in cancers exhibiting the hallmarks of EMT.AcknowledgementsWe would like to acknowledge Clemens Deurrschmid, PhD, Technical Applications Scientist Southeast/South Central, Akoya Biosciences for his assistance with image analysis.ReferencesHorne HN, Oh H, Sherman ME, et al. E-cadherin breast tumor expression, risk factors and survival: pooled analysis of 5,933 cases from 12 studies in the breast cancer association consortium. Sci Rep 2018;8:6574.

scholarly journals Pathways to Breast Cancer Recurrence

ISRN Oncology ◽  
2013 ◽  
Vol 2013 ◽  
pp. 1-16 ◽  
Author(s):  
Aamir Ahmad
Keyword(s):  
Breast Cancer ◽  
Epithelial Mesenchymal Transition ◽  
Recurrent Disease ◽  
Current Knowledge ◽  
Cancer Recurrence ◽  
Breast Cancer Recurrence ◽  
Breast Cancer Patients ◽  
Mesenchymal Transition ◽  
Number Of Factors ◽  
Prevention Of Breast Cancer

Breast cancer remains a deadly disease, even with all the recent technological advancements. Early intervention has made an impact, but an overwhelmingly large number of breast cancer patients still live under the fear of “recurrent” disease. Breast cancer recurrence is clinically a huge problem and one that is largely not well understood. Over the years, a number of factors have been studied with an overarching aim of being able to prognose recurrent disease. This paper attempts to provide an overview of our current knowledge of breast cancer recurrence and its associated challenges. Through a survey of the literature on cancer stem cells (CSCs), epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT), various signaling pathways such as Notch/Wnt/hedgehog, and microRNAs (miRNAs), we also examine the hypotheses that are currently under investigation for the prevention of breast cancer recurrence.

scholarly journals Baicalein inhibits fibronectin-induced epithelial–mesenchymal transition by decreasing activation and upregulation of calpain-2

2019 ◽  
Vol 10 (5) ◽  
Author(s):  
Yan Chen ◽  
Lin Chen ◽  
Duanyang Hong ◽  
Zongyue Chen ◽  
Jingyu Zhang ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Breast Cancer ◽  
Extracellular Matrix ◽  
Cellular Response ◽  
Matrix Protein ◽  
Epithelial Mesenchymal Transition ◽  
T Antigen ◽  
Extracellular Matrix Protein ◽  
Mesenchymal Transition ◽  
Calpain 2 ◽  
E Cadherin

AbstractThe extracellular matrix protein fibronectin (FN) facilitates tumorigenesis and the development of breast cancer. Inhibition of the FN-induced cellular response is a potential strategy for breast cancer treatment. In the present study, we investigated the effects of the flavonoid baicalein on FN-induced epithelial–mesenchymal transition (EMT) in MCF-10A breast epithelial cells and in a transgenic mouse MMTV-polyoma middle T antigen breast cancer model (MMTV-PyMT). Baicalein inhibited FN-induced migration, invasion, and F-actin remodeling. Baicalein also suppressed FN-induced downregulation of the epithelial markers E-cadherin and ZO-1 and upregulation of the mesenchymal markers N-cadherin, vimentin, and Snail. Further investigation revealed that calpain-2 was involved in baicalein suppression of FN-induced EMT. Baicalein significantly decreased FN-enhanced calpain-2 expression and activation by suppressing its plasma membrane localization, substrate cleavage, and degradation of its endogenous inhibitor calpastatin. Overexpression of calpain-2 in MCF-10A cells by gene transfection partially blocked the inhibitory effect of baicalein on FN-induced EMT changes. In addition, baicalein inhibited calpain-2 by decreasing FN-increased intracellular calcium ion levels and extracellular signal-regulated protein kinases activation. Baicalein significantly decreased tumor onset, growth, and pulmonary metastasis in a spontaneous breast cancer MMTV-PyMT mouse model. Baicalein also reduced the expression of FN, calpain-2, and vimentin, but increased E-cadherin expression in MMTV-PyMT mouse tumors. Overall, these results revealed that baicalein markedly inhibited FN-induced EMT by inhibiting calpain-2, thus providing novel insights into the pharmacological action and mechanism of baicalein. Baicalein may therefore possess therapeutic potential for the treatment of breast cancer though interfering with extracellular matrix–cancer cell interactions.

scholarly journals RNF20 Is Critical for Snail-Mediated E-Cadherin Repression in Human Breast Cancer

2020 ◽  
Vol 10 ◽  
Author(s):  
Danping Wang ◽  
Yifan Wang ◽  
Xuebiao Wu ◽  
Xiangxing Kong ◽  
Jun Li ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Breast Cancer ◽  
Cancer Progression ◽  
Colony Formation ◽  
Human Breast Cancer ◽  
Epithelial Mesenchymal Transition ◽  
Epigenetic Modification ◽  
Dependent Manner ◽  
Human Breast ◽  
Mesenchymal Transition ◽  
E Cadherin

BackgroundE-cadherin, a hallmark of epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT), is often repressed due to Snail-mediated epigenetic modification; however, the exact mechanism remains unclear. There is an urgent need to understand the determinants of tumor aggressiveness and identify potential therapeutic targets in breast cancer.Experimental designWe studied the association of RNF20 with Snail and G9a by co-immunoprecipitation. We employed quantitative real-time PCR, ChIP, transwell assay, colony formation assay, and mammosphere assay to dissect the molecular events associated with the repression of E-cadherin in human breast cancer. We used a proteogenomic dataset that contains 105 breast tumor samples to determine the clinical relevance of RNF20 by Kaplan-Meier analyses.ResultsIn this study, we identified that Snail interacted with RNF20, an E3 ubiquitin-protein ligase responsible for monoubiquitination of H2BK120, and G9a, a methyltransferase for H3K9me2. RNF20 expression led to the inhibition of E-cadherin expression in the human breast cancer cells. Mechanically, we showed that RNF20 and H3K9m2 were enriched on the promoter of E-cadherin and knockdown of Snail reduced the enrichment of RNF20, showing a Snail-dependent manner. RNF20 expression enhanced breast cancer cell migration, invasion, tumorsphere and colony formation. Clinically, patients with high RNF20 expression had shorter overall survival.ConclusionRNF20 expression contributes to EMT induction and breast cancer progression through Snail-mediated epigenetic suppression of E-cadherin expression, suggesting the importance of RNF20 in breast cancer.

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