Ezrin蛋白信号转导通路及其对肿瘤侵袭转移的最新进展

肿瘤转移是一个多阶段、多途径、涉及多基因及其信号通路变化的一系列复杂过程。了解肿瘤转移相关基因的信号传导通路以及对肿瘤转移的作用机制,为寻找抑制肿瘤转移的关键靶点具有重要的意义。Ezrin高表达与肿瘤转移密切相关,它可通过改变肿瘤细胞极性及细胞运动、调节肿瘤细胞间黏附及细胞与细胞外基质黏附、参与肿瘤细胞内信号转导而影响恶性肿瘤转移。Ezrin过度表达可以破坏正常细胞内信号传递网络的平衡,其中主要涉及的为细胞信号转导相关分子(Rho)及受体酪氨酸蛋白激酶等信号传导途径。Ezrin借助于细胞内错综复杂的信号转导网络调控细胞的形态构成、黏附、吞噬、运动、血管形成等一系列的生物学过程,最终实现肿瘤细胞的侵袭和转移。本文就Ezrin蛋白的信号转导通路及其对肿瘤转移作用的研究进展做一综述。     

Ezrin与肿瘤的侵袭和转移

Ezrin是细胞骨架与细胞膜连接的特定蛋白之一,它有助于细胞内摄作用、细胞胞吐作用及跨膜信号发放的途径.研究表明,Ezrin在不同肿瘤组织中表达异常,推测它可能参与肿瘤的侵袭转移,其通过改变肿瘤细胞极性及细胞运动、调节肿瘤细胞间黏附及细胞与细胞外基质黏附、参与肿瘤细胞内信号转导而影响恶性肿瘤转移.本文主要介绍了Ezrin生物学特性、与CD44相互关系以及目前在肿瘤研究中的现状.     

PTEN蛋白磷酸酶活性的作用

PTEN是一个具有磷酸酶活性的肿瘤抑制基因,是编码具有脂质磷酸酶活性和蛋白磷酸酶活性的双重特异性磷酸酶,其缺失或功能异常与人类恶性肿瘤的发生发展密切相关。PTEN的脂质磷酸酶活性和蛋白磷酸酶活性在调控肿瘤细胞的生物学行为、维持细胞正常的生理活动中均发挥了重要作用。但二者的作用重点及机制仍有不同,其蛋白磷酸酶活性主要侧重于调控细胞的黏附迁移及侵袭。为更好地认识PTEN蛋白磷酸酶活性的作用,该文对PTEN蛋白磷酸酶活性的作用及其机制作一简要综述。     

IGFBP-2的结构功能与调控及其与肿瘤关系的研究进展

IGFBP-2作为IGFBP超家族最受关注的分子之一,在多种肿瘤中都发现其表达增加,通过调控肿瘤细胞的增殖、转移、侵袭以及内皮募集和血管生成等多种过程,在肿瘤的发生与发展中起着重要作用。IGFBP-2的功能复杂多样,受细胞类型与细胞微环境的影响,其表达含量与肿瘤进程关系紧密,并且与抑癌基因PTEN的表达呈反相关。本文综述了IGFBP-2蛋白结构、功能、调控及其与肿瘤关系的研究进展,为将IGFBP-2作为新的肿瘤治疗靶点提供依据。     

肿瘤转移抑制基因BRMS1的表达分析及机制研究进展

乳腺癌转移抑制基因1(BRMS1)是一个有活性的肿瘤转移抑制基因,参与抑制乳腺癌、黑素瘤、鼻咽癌、非小细胞肺癌、卵巢癌等恶性肿瘤的转移。BRMS1编码蛋白主要通过转录调控转移相关靶基因,参与调节细胞凋亡、细胞通讯、肿瘤血管新生等多种细胞事件。从BRMS1基因的分子结构、表达调控、生物学功能以及转移抑制机理等方面对BRMS1的研究进展做简要回顾。     

白细胞介素-8与肿瘤免疫逃逸

IL-8是趋化因子CXC家族的一员,是一种多细胞来源的细胞因子,在细胞的多种炎症反应中起调节作用,并且在自身免疫性疾病中也发挥重要作用。IL-8通过与细胞膜上的CXC趋化因子受体CXCR1和CXCR2相互作用,激活偶联的G蛋白,由G蛋白进一步激活PLC、AC、PLD、PI3K、JAK2及Ras等信号分子,从而调控基因表达、细胞增殖和分化、细胞代谢、细胞运动及血管生成等多种细胞生命过程。IL-8在多种恶性肿瘤细胞中表达量升高,其高表达与肿瘤细胞增殖、迁移、侵袭、血管生成及上皮间充质转化有密切联系。肿瘤免疫逃逸是肿瘤细胞产生和转移过程中的主要特征之一,肿瘤细胞可以通过多种机制使得人体免疫系统无法对其进行正常的识别和攻击,从而导致肿瘤细胞在体内存活,并且不断增殖和转移,而肿瘤细胞、免疫细胞以及肿瘤微环境中其他相关组分均可以促进肿瘤免疫逃逸。IL-8作为一种炎性趋化因子,已被证明在肿瘤免疫逃逸中具有重要作用,其可通过诱导肿瘤细胞PD-L1表达、抑制肿瘤细胞凋亡、促进肿瘤细胞EMT进程、促进肿瘤微环境血管生成、招募免疫抑制性细胞等五个方面介导肿瘤免疫逃逸。IL-8中和抗体和CXCR1/2拮抗剂在抗肿瘤治疗方面已经显示出较好的治疗效果。     

LRIG1基因与恶性肿瘤的研究进展

LRIG1是新近发现的一种肿瘤细胞的抑制因子,通过负反馈调节酪氨酸激酶受体信号转导通路抑制细胞过度增殖及侵袭转移。它在多种恶性肿瘤患者的血清中均有不同程度减少,与肿瘤的发生发展密切相关,有望成为肿瘤诊断及治疗的潜在靶点。本文对LRIG1基因结构、基因调控和LRIG1与常见恶性肿瘤关系的研究进展进行综述。     

黏着斑激酶与肿瘤微环境

黏着斑激酶（focal adhesion kinase, FAK）是一种胞质非受体酪氨酸激酶。FAK和肿瘤密切相关,在多种癌细胞中高表达,促进癌细胞的发生、生长、存活、增殖、粘附、转移和侵袭以及血管生成等过程。肿瘤微环境包括肿瘤细胞、周围血管、免疫细胞、纤维母细胞、内皮细胞、信号分子和细胞外基质,它对癌症的发展和恶化具有重要作用。肿瘤细胞可以通过分泌细胞外信号影响微环境,使其有利于肿瘤生存和发展|肿瘤微环境中的基质细胞能通过产生趋化因子、基质降解酶和生长因子促进肿瘤侵袭和转移。本文综述肿瘤微环境在癌症发生发展过程中的作用及FAK在肿瘤微环境中的调控作用,为肿瘤疾病的治疗提供新思路。     

Ezrin蛋白的生物学作用及其与肿瘤转移的关系

Ezrin蛋白是ERM蛋白家族中的一员,最早被发现。人体几乎所有的组织细胞中都有Ezrin蛋白的存在。Ezrin蛋白分子通过磷酸化等方式来激活,暴露其分子上的功能位点,形成具有功能分子结构。亚细胞定位在胞浆中,细胞膜与骨架蛋白之间,通过链接细胞内骨架蛋白与膜蛋白来实现其多项复杂而又重要的功能。近年来发现Ezrin蛋白存在多种功能,包括参与细胞形态学、参与免疫突触的形成,与黏附分子作用进而来调节细胞与细胞或细胞与基质间的黏附、调节细胞运动性等。最重要的是它在多种肿瘤中高表达并促进肿瘤细胞的增殖及转移等活动,参与肿瘤的发生与发展。干扰肿瘤细胞内的Ezrin蛋白表达或抑制其磷酸化后,可以明显抑制肿瘤的转移。所以,Ezrin可能成为将来抑制肿瘤转移研究的潜在靶点。     

肿瘤血管生成拟态形成的机制

血管生成拟态(vasculogenic mimicry,VM)主要是由肿瘤细胞形成的无内皮细胞的管样结构,主要为肿瘤在营养缺乏或侵袭过程中提供血液,与肿瘤的侵袭程度和患者预后相关。其形成的原因涉及多种复杂机制,包括肿瘤微环境诱导的调控蛋白、体内激素、RNA、肿瘤相关免疫细胞和肿瘤细胞的自分泌途径等。本文就近年关于肿瘤中各种分子机制促进VM形成做一简要综述。     

PTEN inhibits the invasion and metastasis of gastric cancer via downregulation of FAK expression

The tumor suppressor gene phosphatase and tensin homolog (PTEN) is essential in inhibiting tumor growth and metastasis. However, the mechanism by which PTEN restricts gastric cancer progression and metastasis remains largely elusive. Here we demonstrated that PTEN overexpression or knockdown in gastric cancer cells led to the downregulation or upregulation of focal adhesion kinase (FAK), and decreased or increased cell invasion, respectively. Moreover, FAK overexpression could rescue the inhibition of cell invasion by PTEN. These results were further confirmed in orthotropic gastric cancer nude mice model. In addition, in human gastric cancer tissues, PTEN protein level was conversely correlated with FAK protein level. Mechanistically, we found that PTEN inhibited PI3K/NF-κB pathway and inhibited the DNA binding of NF-κB on FAK promoter. Taken together, our data reveal a novel mechanism that PTEN inhibits the growth and invasion of gastric cancer via the downregulation of FAK expression and suggest that exploiting PTEN/PI3K/NF-κB/FAK axis is a promising approach to treat gastric cancer metastasis.     

PTEN modulates GDNF/RET mediated chemotaxis and branching morphogenesis in the developing kidney

The RET receptor tyrosine kinase is activated by GDNF and controls outgrowth and invasion of the ureteric bud epithelia in the developing kidney. In renal epithelial cells and in enteric neuronal precursor cells, activation of RET results in chemotaxis as Ret expressing cells invade the surrounding GDNF expressing tissue. One potential downstream signaling pathway governing RET mediated chemotaxis may require phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K), which generates PI(3,4,5) triphosphate. The PTEN tumor suppressor gene encodes a protein and lipid phosphatase that regulates cell growth, apoptosis and many other cellular processes. PTEN helps regulate cellular chemotaxis by antagonizing the PI3K signaling pathway through dephosphorylation of phosphotidylinositol triphosphates. In this report, we show that PTEN suppresses RET mediated cell migration and chemotaxis in cell culture assays, that RET activation results in asymmetric localization of inositol triphosphates and that loss of PTEN affects the pattern of branching morphogenesis in developing mouse kidneys. These data suggest a critical role for the PI3K/PTEN axis in shaping the pattern of epithelial branches in response to RET activation.     

PI3 kinase blockade by Ad-PTEN inhibits invasion and induces apoptosis in RGP and metastatic melanoma cells

BACKGROUND: Melanoma is an aggressive tumor with a propensity to rapidly metastasize. The PTEN gene encodes a phosphatase with an unusual dual specificity for proteins and lipids. Mutations of PTEN have been found in various human cancers, including glioblastoma, prostate, breast, lung, and melanoma. Here we investigate in vitro the effects of blocking PI3K signaling using adenoviral-delivered PTEN (Ad-PTEN) in cell lines derived from both early- and late-stage melanoma. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Ad-PTEN transduced melanoma cell lines or normal cells were assayed for cell death, apoptosis, gene expression, invasion and migration, and regulation of angiogenesis. RESULTS: The PTEN locus from RGP and metastatic melanoma cell lines was sequenced; no coding region mutations were found. Adenoviral transfer of PTEN into melanoma cells containing wild-type PTEN alleles led to tumor-specific apoptosis and growth inhibition, with coordinate inhibition of AKT phosphorylation. Ad-PTEN suppressed cell migration by metastatic melanoma cells with concomitant increase in the level of cell surface E-cadherin. Immunohistochemical and confocal analyses localized PTEN to the cytoplasm and demonstrated enrichment at the cell membrane. Ad-PTEN inhibited angiogenesis as demonstrated by the tube formation assay using human vascular endothelial cells. CONCLUSIONS: These studies indicate that Ad-PTEN can inhibit tumor cells via multiple mechanisms and has pro-apoptotic, anti-metastatic, and anti-angiogenic properties. Thus, PI3K blockade via Ad-PTEN may be a promising approach for the treatment of early- and late-stage melanoma, even in tumors that do not harbor PTEN mutations.     

Integrins and tumor invasion

Cell-extracellular matrix interactions are important in the process of tumor cell invasion and metastasis. In particular, the interactions of tumor cells with basement membranes of tissue epithelial, as well as vascular endothelial, cells are likely to represent key steps in the metastatic process. The interactions between cells and the connective tissue matrix are mediated by a large family of cell surface receptors, the integrins, which represent multiple receptors for extracellular matrix and basement membrane components. Here, I review recent progress in elucidating the roles of integrins in tumor cell invasion. Altered expression of this large family of receptors on invasive tumor cells, as compared with non-invasive cells, may represent a fundamental step in the progressive expression of the invasive phenotype.     

Proteomic studies of rat tibialis anterior muscle during postnatal growth and development

Phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K) pathway exerts its effects through Akt, its downstream target molecule, and thereby regulates various cell functions including cell proliferation, cell transformation, apoptosis, tumor growth, and angiogenesis. Phosphatase and tensin homolog deleted on chromosome 10 (PTEN) has been implicated in regulating cell survival signaling through the PI3K/Akt pathway. However, the mechanism by PI3K/PTEN signaling regulates angiogenesis and tumor growth in vivo remains to be elucidated. Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) plays a pivotal role in tumor angiogenesis. The effect of PTEN on VEGF-mediated signal in pancreatic cancer is unknown. This study aimed to determine the effect of PTEN on both the expression of VEGF and angiogenesis. Toward that end, we used the siRNA knockdown method to specifically define the role of PTEN in the expression of VEGF and angiogenesis. We found that siRNA-mediated inhibition of PTEN gene expression in pancreatic cancer cells increase their VEGF secretion, up-modulated the proliferation, and migration of co-cultured vascular endothelial cell and enhanced tubule formation by HUVEC. In addition, PTEN modulated VEGF-mediated signaling and affected tumor angiogenesis through PI3K/Akt/VEGF/eNOS pathway.     

PTEN interactions with focal adhesion kinase and suppression of the extracellular matrix-dependent phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase/Akt cell survival pathway.

The tumor suppressor PTEN is a phosphatase with sequence homology to tensin. PTEN dephosphorylates phosphatidylinositol 3,4, 5-trisphosphate (PIP3) and focal adhesion kinase (FAK), and it can inhibit cell growth, invasion, migration, and focal adhesions. We investigated molecular interactions of PTEN and FAK in glioblastoma and breast cancer cells lacking PTEN. The PTEN trapping mutant D92A bound wild-type FAK, requiring FAK autophosphorylation site Tyr397. In PTEN-mutated cancer cells, FAK phosphorylation was retained even in suspension after detachment from extracellular matrix, accompanied by enhanced PI 3-K association with FAK and sustained PI 3-K activity, PIP3 levels, and Akt phosphorylation; expression of exogenous PTEN suppressed all five properties. PTEN-mutated cells were resistant to apoptosis in suspension, but most of the cells entered apoptosis after expression of exogenous PTEN or wortmannin treatment. Moreover, overexpression of FAK in PTEN-transfected cells reversed the decreased FAK phosphorylation and PI 3-K activity, and it partially rescued PIP3 levels, Akt phosphorylation, and PTEN-induced apoptosis. Our results show that FAK Tyr397 is important in PTEN interactions with FAK, that PTEN regulates FAK phosphorylation and molecular associations after detachment from matrix, and that PTEN negatively regulates the extracellular matrix-dependent PI 3-K/Akt cell survival pathway in a process that can include FAK.