Role of ACTN4 in Tumorigenesis, Metastasis, and EMT

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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Role of extracellular matrix in regulating embryonic epithelial-mesenchymal transition

BioMolecular Concepts ◽

10.1515/bmc-2011-0065 ◽

2012 ◽

Vol 3 (4) ◽

pp. 333-344

Author(s):

Francesca Zito

Keyword(s):

Extracellular Matrix ◽

Epithelial Mesenchymal Transition ◽

Membrane Receptors ◽

Mesenchymal Transition ◽

Functional Studies ◽

Cell Matrix ◽

Fibrotic Diseases ◽

Cell Matrix Adhesion ◽

Specific Membrane

AbstractEmbryogenesis and morphogenesis are characterized by complex cell rearrangements and movements which require appropriate interactions of cells with the surrounding extracellular matrix (ECM) by means of specific membrane receptors. Interest in the identification and purification of ECM components, as well as in conducting functional studies of them, including their ligands and other molecules involved in cell-matrix adhesion, has intensified in recent years, increasing our knowledge of developmental machinery. Cellular movements play an important role during the epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) events, which are key processes in normal embryogenesis as well as in pathological conditions, such as fibrotic diseases and cancer. Thus, to more fully understand mechanisms underlying the EMT process, and for better knowledge of the embryonic defects related to this process, it would be useful to study the substrates on which EMT cells move during embryo development. This review focuses on a few different embryonic systems, taking into account the cell migration that occurs during EMT and highlighting, in particular, studies describing the direct involvement of ECM molecules.

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By moonlighting in the nucleus, villin regulates epithelial plasticity

Molecular Biology of the Cell ◽

10.1091/mbc.e15-06-0453 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 27 (3) ◽

pp. 535-548 ◽

Cited By ~ 10

Author(s):

Srinivas Patnaik ◽

Sudeep P. George ◽

Eric Pham ◽

Swati Roy ◽

Kanchan Singh ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Wound Repair ◽

Epithelial Mesenchymal Transition ◽

Actin Binding ◽

Nuclear Accumulation ◽

Epithelial Polarity ◽

Systematic Analysis ◽

Mesenchymal Transition ◽

Epithelial Plasticity ◽

First Time

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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The functional role of long noncoding RNA in resistance to anticancer treatment

Therapeutic Advances in Medical Oncology ◽

10.1177/1758835920927850 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 12 ◽

pp. 175883592092785

Author(s):

Yidi Qu ◽

Hor-Yue Tan ◽

Yau-Tuen Chan ◽

Hongbo Jiang ◽

Ning Wang ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Drug Resistance ◽

Noncoding Rna ◽

Epithelial Mesenchymal Transition ◽

Drug Efflux ◽

Mechanisms Of Resistance ◽

Mesenchymal Transition ◽

Damage Repair ◽

Different Types ◽

Anticancer Treatment

Chemotherapy is one of the fundamental methods of cancer treatment. However, drug resistance remains the main cause of clinical treatment failure. We comprehensively review the newly identified roles of long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) in oncobiology that are associated with drug resistance. The expression of lncRNAs is tissue-specific and often dysregulated in human cancers. Accumulating evidence suggests that lncRNAs are involved in chemoresistance of cancer cells. The main lncRNA-driven mechanisms of chemoresistance include regulation of drug efflux, DNA damage repair, cell cycle, apoptosis, epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT), induction of signaling pathways, and angiogenesis. LncRNA-driven mechanisms of resistance to various antineoplastic agents have been studied extensively. There are unique mechanisms of resistance against different types of drugs, and each mechanism may have more than one contributing factor. We summarize the emerging strategies that can be used to overcome the technical challenges in studying and addressing lncRNA-mediated drug resistance.

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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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