Mycophenolic Acid Inhibits Migration and Invasion of Gastric Cancer Cells via Multiple Molecular Pathways

Mycophenolic acid (MPA) is the metabolized product and active element of mycophenolate mofetil (MMF) that has been widely used for the prevention of acute graft rejection. MPA potently inhibits inosine monophosphate dehydrogenase (IMPDH) that is up-regulated in many tumors and MPA is known to inhibit cancer cell proliferation as well as fibroblast and endothelial cell migration. In this study, we demonstrated for the first time MPA’s antimigratory and anti-invasion abilities of MPA-sensitive AGS (gastric cancer) cells. Genome-wide expression analyses using Illumina whole genome microarrays identified 50 genes with ≥2 fold changes and 15 genes with > 4 fold alterations and multiple molecular pathways implicated in cell migration. Real-time RT-PCR analyses of selected genes also confirmed the expression differences. Furthermore, targeted proteomic analyses identified several proteins altered by MPA treatment. Our results indicate that MPA modulates gastric cancer cell migration through down-regulation of a large number of genes (PRKCA, DOCK1, INF2, HSPA5, LRP8 and PDGFRA) and proteins (PRKCA, AKT, SRC, CD147 and MMP1) with promigratory functions as well as up-regulation of a number of genes with antimigratory functions (ATF3, SMAD3, CITED2 and CEAMCAM1). However, a few genes that may promote migration (CYR61 and NOS3) were up-regulated. Therefore, MPA’s overall antimigratory role on cancer cells reflects a balance between promigratory and antimigratory signals influenced by MPA treatment.     

Knockdown of RAGE Inhibits Growth and Invasion of Gastric Cancer Cells

The receptor for advanced glycation end-products (RAGE) is an oncogenic trans-membranous receptor, which is overexpressed in multiple human cancers. However, the role of RAGE in gastric cancer is still elusive. In this study, we investigated the expression and molecular mechanisms of RAGE in gastric cancer cells. Forty cases of gastric cancer and corresponding adjacent non-cancerous tissues (ANCT) were collected, and the expression of RAGE was assessed using immunohistochemistry (IHC) in biopsy samples. Furthermore, RAGE signaling was blocked by constructed recombinant small hairpin RNA lentiviral vector (Lv-shRAGE) used to transfect into human gastric cancer SGC-7901 cells. The expression of AKT, proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) and matrix metallopeptidase-2 (MMP-2) was detected by Real-time PCR and Western blot assays. Cell proliferative activities and invasive capability were respectively determined by MTT and Transwell assays. Cell apoptosis and cycle distribution were analyzed by flow cytometry. As a consequence, RAGE was found highly expressed in cancer tissues compared with the ANCT (70.0% vs 45.0%, P=0.039), and correlated with lymph node metastases (P=0.026). Knockdown of RAGE reduced cell proliferation and invasion of gastric cancer with decreased expression of AKT, PCNA and MMP-2, and induced cell apoptosis and cycle arrest. Altogether, upregulation of RAGE expression is associated with lymph node metastases of gastric cancer, and blockade of RAGE signaling suppresses growth and invasion of gastric cancer cells through AKT pathway, suggesting that RAGE may represent a potential therapeutic target for this aggressive malignancy.Key words: RAGE, gastric cancer, growth, invasion     

腺病毒介导的EMC6基因通过下调FAK信号通路抑制胃癌细胞迁移

内质网膜蛋白复合物亚单位6（endoplasmic reticulum membrane protein complex subunit 6,EMC6）,也称穿膜蛋白93 (transmembrane protein 93, TMEM93)是我们首次报道的一个人类自噬相关分子。EMC6基因进化保守,表达广泛,在胃癌组织中表达下调或缺失。本研究利用构建的重组腺病毒5型EMC6（Ad5-EMC6）载体,感染胃癌细胞系BGC823和SGC7901,分析了其在肿瘤细胞的表达以及抗肿瘤活性。研究证明, Ad5-EMC6能够显著抑制胃癌细胞的克隆形成、细胞划痕修复、以及迁移和侵袭的能力。进一步的研究提示,Ad5-EMC6能够降低胃癌细胞局部黏着斑激酶（FAK）的Y576/577磷酸化水平,FAK下游的基质金属蛋白酶MMP2和MMP9的蛋白质水平也同时下调。在裸鼠的腹膜扩散模型中,Ad5-EMC6处理组的小鼠腹膜结节数量明显减少或缺失。这些研究数据提示, Ad5-EMC6介导的FAK信号灭活可能是其抑瘤活性的机制之一,其分子机制还需要进一步探讨。     

Blockade of ITGA2 Induces Apoptosis and Inhibits Cell Migration in Gastric Cancer

Background

Gastric cancer is currently the fourth leading cause of cancer-related death worldwide. Gastric cancer is often diagnosed at advanced stages and the outcome of the treatment is often poor. Therefore, identifying new therapeutic targets for this cancer is urgently needed. Integrin alpha 2 (ITGA2) subunit and the beta 1 subunit form a heterodimer for a transmembrane receptor for extracellular matrix, is an important molecule involved in tumor cell proliferation, survival and migration. Integrin α2β1 is over-expressed on a variety of cancer cells, but is low or absent in most normal organs and resting endothelial cells.

Results

In this report, we assessed the ITGA2 as the potential therapeutic target with the bioinformatics tools from the TCGA dataset in which composed of 375 gastric cancer tissues and 32 gastric normal tissues. According to the information from the Cancer Cell Line Encyclopedia (CCLE) database, the AGS cell line with ITGA2 high expression and the SUN-1 cell line with low expression were chosen for the further investigation. Interestingly, the anti-ITGA2 antibody (at 3 μg/ml) inhibited approximately 50% survival of the AGS cells (over-expressed ITGA2), but had no effect in SNU-1 cells (ITGA2 negative). The extents of antibody-mediated cancer inhibition positively correlated with the expression levels of the ITGA2. We further showed that the anti-ITGA2 antibody induced apoptosis by up-regulating the RhoA-p38 MAPK signaling to promote the expressions of Bim, Apaf-1 and Caspase-9, whereas the expressions of Ras and Bax/Bcl-2 were not affected. Moreover, blocking ITGA2 by the specific antibody at lower doses also inhibited cell migration of gastric cancer cells. Blockade of ITGA2 by a specific antibody down-regulated the expression of N-WASP, PAK and LIMK to impede actin organization and cell migration of gastric cancer cells.

Conclusions

Here, we showed that the mRNA expression levels of ITGA2 comparing to normal tissues significantly increased. In addition, the results revealed that targeting integrin alpha 2 subunit by antibodies did not only inhibit cell migration, but also induce apoptosis effect on gastric cancer cells. Interestingly, higher expression level of ITGA2 led to significant effects on apoptosis progression during anti-ITGA2 antibody treatment, which indicated that ITGA2 expression levels directly correlate with their functionality. Our findings suggest that ITGA2 is a potential therapeutic target for gastric cancer.

     

STAT3基因沉默降低小鼠乳腺癌细胞的体外迁移能力

信号转导子与转录活化子3(STAT3)是一个具有信号转导和转录调控双重功能的转录因子,有文献报道STAT3在乳腺癌中的表达显著升高,并能促进乳腺癌的转移。为了深入探索STAT3在肿瘤发生发展中的作用和影响乳腺癌转移的分子机制,采用RNA干扰技术在小鼠乳腺癌细胞株4T1中沉默STAT3的表达。MTT实验结果显示STAT3沉默对4T1细胞的增殖能力没有影响;细胞迁移实验结果表明STAT3表达被沉默后4T1细胞的迁移能力明显被抑制;定量PCR结果显示,STAT3基因沉默后4T1细胞中VEGF和IL-6的mRNA水平下降,E-cadherin表达上升,mosin表达下降;信号通路检测显示STAT3基因表达沉默后MAPK的活化明显降低。研究表明STAT3在小鼠乳腺癌细胞的迁移过程中发挥重要作用,为以STAT3基因为靶向的治疗提供了一定的实验依据。     

DKK-1通过上调nm23表达抑制乳腺癌细胞迁移

Dickkopf-1(DKK-1)作为Wnt/β-连环蛋白(Wnt/β-catenin)经典信号传导通路的拮抗剂而受到关注.为了进一步阐明DKK-1在乳腺癌细胞迁移中的作用及其分子机制,应用我们建立的乳腺癌细胞MCF-7高转移倾向亚克隆LM-MCF-7细胞株,比较了DKK-1在不同转移能力的乳腺癌细胞株中表达水平及其与细胞迁移能力的关系.结果显示,DKK-1在LM-MCF-7细胞中表达明显下调;"伤口愈合"实验结果表明,在MCF-7细胞中,RNA干扰DKK-1可导致细胞迁移能力增强;相反,在LM-MCF-7细胞中过表达DKK-1则可抑制细胞的迁移.进一步研究结果显示,DKK-1为肿瘤转移抑制因子nm23的上游激活因子.因此,我们的研究结果表明,DKK-1表达水平下调导致nm23表达水平下调,解除了对乳腺癌细胞迁移的抑制作用,是LM-MCF-7乳腺癌细胞具有高迁移能力的原因之一;反之,与LM-MCF-7相比,DKK-1在MCF-7细胞中高表达,其通过上调nm23可抑制乳腺癌细胞迁移.这一发现对进一步揭示乳腺癌细胞转移的分子机制具有的重要意义.     

华蟾素通过下调PIM3的表达抑制高转移胃癌细胞的实验研究

目的:胃癌(GC)是全球第四大常见癌症.丁硫磷是华蟾酥的主要活性成分,从蟾蜍的皮肤和腮腺毒腺中提取,在体外具有抗癌活性.然而,丁硫磷是否对胃癌有抗癌作用尚不清楚.本研究旨在评价丁硫磷对GC的抑制作用.方法:以高转移性MKN28 GC细胞为细胞模型,研究华蟾素的抗癌作用.使用CCK-8测定细胞活力,LDH检测丁硫磷对细胞...     

泛素偶联酶2C促进肺癌细胞增殖和迁移与抑制细胞衰老

泛素偶联酶2C与多种肿瘤细胞的增殖密切相关,但其与肺癌发生和发展的关系尚不明确。 本研究以肺癌A549细胞为材料,通过RT-PCR、Western印迹、免疫荧光、SA-β-Gal细胞衰老染色、细胞划痕和Trans-well实验,阐明UBE2C与肺癌细胞的增殖、衰老和迁移能力的关系。结果显示,UBE2C在肺癌细胞中的表达明显高于正常细胞。利用基因修饰技术瞬时过表达或靶向沉默UBE2C后,在肺癌A549细胞中,UBE2C的mRNA和蛋白质水平显著增加3.5倍或减少0.5倍,显著促进或抑制细胞增殖,进而减少或增加细胞的凋亡率。过表达UBE2C后,显著抑制细胞衰老;但沉默UBE2C后,则增加细胞衰老。此外,过表达UBE2C后,下调转移相关基因E-钙黏着蛋白的mRNA和蛋白质表达水平,且上调波形蛋白基因的表达水平,进而促进肺癌细胞的迁移。但靶向敲除UBE2C后,上调E-钙黏着蛋白,同时下调波形蛋白表达水平,进而抑制肺癌细胞的迁移。本研究的开展将明确UBE2C在肺癌中的作用及其机制,为以UBE2C为靶点,提高病人生存期提供了理论基础。     

大黄素抑制胃癌细胞糖酵解并促进凋亡

目的:探讨大黄素对人胃癌BGC-823细胞凋亡及糖酵解的影响。方法:采用不同浓度大黄素(30μmol/L、90μmol/L、180μmol/L)、磷脂酰肌醇3-激酶(Phosphatidylinositol 3 kinase,PI3K)抑制剂处理人胃癌BGC-823细胞,通过四甲基偶氮唑盐(MTT)检测细胞活力,采用试剂盒检测细胞葡萄糖消耗及乳酸水平,western blotting检测细胞己糖激酶Ⅱ、Bcl-2相关蛋白(Bcl-2 Associated X Protein,Bax)、PI3K、人低氧诱导因子1α(Human Hypoxia-inducible factor 1α,HIF-α)的表达。结果:大黄素能浓度依赖性的抑制BGC-823细胞增殖、葡萄糖消耗,降低乳酸水平;并降低己糖激酶Ⅱ的表达,促进凋亡蛋白Bax表达。PI3K抑制剂可抑制胃癌细胞糖酵解水平,而将大黄素与PI3K抑制剂联合使用后,与单一抑制剂组比,对细胞糖酵解抑制水平进一步加强,大黄素可下调PI3K下游蛋白及HIF-α的表达。结论:大黄素对人胃癌BGC-823细胞的增殖抑制作用其作用机制与调节PI3K途径及HIF-α,并抑制己糖激酶Ⅱ表达降低胃癌细胞糖酵解水平相关。     

过表达胃泌素促进胃癌细胞的增殖、迁移和侵袭

胃癌患者转移淋巴结中胃泌素基因的表达量是原发胃癌组织的42倍,推测胃泌素可能与胃癌转移密切相关. 本文通过构建含胃泌素基因的真核表达载体,成功获得过表达胃泌素的稳转胃癌细胞株AGS和SGC-7901, 并用MTT、细胞伤愈实验、Transwell 小室实验及ELISA检测过表达胃泌素对细胞迁移、侵袭及转移相关蛋白基质金属蛋白酶2（MMP-2）分泌能力的影响. 结果显示,过表达胃泌素稳转细胞的相对增殖率、 迁移入细胞致伤区的相对距离比对照组高,迁移和侵袭到Transwell下室面的细胞, 以及培养液中每mg蛋白质的MMP-2浓度也高于对照组的细胞. 结果提示,胃泌素通过促进胃癌细胞分泌MMP-2来增强细胞的迁移和侵袭能力. 该研究对揭示胃癌转移的分子机制具有重要意义.     

肿瘤干细胞与胃癌

最近的一项研究报导,采用流式细胞仪分选技术从人胃癌细胞株中分离出CD44^＋胃癌干细胞. 20～30×10³个CD44＋细胞入NOD/SCID 鼠腹部皮下和胃浆膜下能形成胃癌移植瘤, 100×10³个CD44^－的细胞入NOD/SCID 鼠体内不形成肿瘤.采用无血清、无粘附间质的干细胞体外培养方法,发现CD44^＋的细胞能形成肿瘤微球体,具有自我更新能力,而CD44^－的细胞则不形成球形克隆.上述的实验结果说明,在人胃癌细胞株中存在胃癌肿瘤干细胞.据此可以相信,胃癌干细胞是胃癌细胞中具有自我更新及分化潜能的一小群细胞,不能被目前的化疗、放疗等抗癌治疗措施所杀灭,是胃癌术后复发、肿瘤进展扩散转移的根源.胃癌干细胞可能来源于骨髓干细胞.随着对胃癌肿瘤干细胞生物学研究的深入,必将为胃癌的临床诊断和治疗提供新的策略.     

miR-125a-5p通过靶向调控GAB2抑制乳腺癌细胞的迁移能力

miR-125a-5p可负性调节GAB2表达,抑制胶质瘤细胞的侵袭和转移。本研究旨在证明miR-125a-5p抑癌作用的普遍性,即miR-125a-5p是否可通过靶向抑制GAB2抑制乳腺癌细胞的迁移。荧光素酶实验结果显示,miR-125a-5p可特异识别GAB2的3′-UTR,抑制报告酶的表达。荧光定量PCR结果揭示,与正常乳腺上皮细胞MCF-10A比较,miR-125a-5p在乳腺癌细胞MDA231和MCF-7中的表达明显降低;与迁移能力相对较低的MCF-7细胞比较,miR-125a-5p在迁移能力较高的MDA231细胞中的表达量更低。Western 印迹结果证明,与空载体（对照）和anti-miR125a 5p转染细胞比较,转染miR-125a-5p明显抑制GAB2蛋白在乳腺癌细胞中的表达。Transwell结果显示,与空载体转染的对照细胞比较,转染miR-125a-5p的乳腺癌细胞穿过基质胶的细胞数明显减少;相反,转染anti-miR125a-5p的细胞穿过基质胶的细胞数却明显增多。上述结果提示,miR-125a-5p在正常的乳腺细胞中高表达,而在乳腺癌细胞中低表达,其表达水平与癌细胞的迁移能力和GAB2表达呈反向关系。本研究结果还提示,miR-125a-5p通过靶向负调控GAB2抑制乳腺癌细胞的迁移能力。总之,本研究证明,miR-125a-5p在肿瘤中发挥抑癌作用。     

人EGFR显性负性突变体对胃癌细胞体内成瘤及淋巴结转移的影响

为了研究人表皮生长因子显性负性突变体(dominant negative mutant of EGFR, dnEGFR)对胃癌细胞体内成瘤及淋巴结转移的影响,用目的质粒pEGFPN1 dnEGFR,空质粒载体pEGFP N1分别转染胃癌细胞NCI-N87.筛选出稳定转染株,实验共分3组：NCI-N87细胞未转染组（untreated NCI-N87,UN组）,NCI-N87细胞pEGFP-N1转染组（EN组）;NCI-N87细胞pEGFPN1-dnEGFR转染组（DN组）.将3组细胞接种于裸鼠右后足垫,6周后测量移植瘤大小及对应腹股沟转移淋巴结数目,HE染色验证,real-time PCR和Western 印迹检测3组细胞中AKT1、MAPK3 mRNA和蛋白的表达改变.结果发现,DN组移植瘤较UN、EN组明显缩小（P<0.05）,且右腹股沟转移淋巴结数目较UN、EN组减少（P<0.05）.DN组细胞中,AKT1、MAPK3 mRNA和蛋白水平较UN、EN组降低（P<0.05）.提示pEGFPN1-dnEGFR可抑制裸鼠体内胃癌细胞成瘤及淋巴结转移,AKT1及MAPK3信号通路可能参与其中.     

miRNA-181a在胃癌细胞增殖和迁移中的作用

miRNA与恶性肿瘤患者的诊断和预后密切相关,为了考察miRNA-181a在胃癌细胞增殖和迁移中的作用,本研究检测了miRNA-181a在胃癌组织中的表达,并通过对人胃癌细胞系MGC-803转染miR-181a模拟物或抑制剂来考察miR-181a对细胞迁移和增殖的影响。RT-PCR显示,miRNA-181a在胃癌组织中的表达水平显著高于癌旁组织(p<0.05)。伤口愈合实验和Transwell实验显示,转染miR-181a抑制剂或TGF-β受体2(TGFβR2)过表达的pcDNA3.1质粒均可抑制MGC-803细胞的迁移。EdU实验和CCK-8实验显示,转染miR-181a抑制剂或TGFβR2过表达的pcDNA3.1质粒均可抑制MGC-803细胞的增殖。此外,miR-181a抑制剂处理可使TGFβR2蛋白表达明显升高。然而,miR-181a模拟物或抑制剂处理后TGFβR2mRNA水平没有显著变化。总之,本研究表明高表达的miR-181a通过在转录后抑制TGFβR2蛋白表达来促进胃癌细胞的迁移和增殖。miR-181a有望成为胃癌的潜在治疗靶点。     

NME2 Reduces Proliferation,Migration and Invasion of Gastric Cancer Cells to Limit Metastasis

Gastric cancer is one of the most common malignancies and has a high rate of metastasis. We hypothesize that NME2 (Nucleoside Diphosphate Kinase 2), which has previously been considered as an anti-metastatic gene, plays a role in the invasiveness of gastric cancer cells. Using a tissue chip technology and immunohistochemistry, we demonstrated that NME2 expression was associated with levels of differentiation of gastric cancer cells and their metastasis into the lymph nodes. When the NME2 gene product was over-expressed by ;in vitro stable transfection, cells from BGC823 and MKN45 gastric cancer cell lines had reduced rates of proliferation, migration, and invasion through the collagen matrix, suggesting an inhibitory activity of NME2 in the propagation and invasion of gastric cancer. NME2 could, therefore, severe as a risk marker for gastric cancer invasiveness and a potential new target for gene therapy to enhance or induce NME2 expression.     

Monitoring the Cytoskeletal EGF Response in Live Gastric Carcinoma Cells

Altered cell motility is considered to be a key factor in determining tumor invasion and metastasis. Epidermal growth factor (EGF) signaling has been implicated in this process by affecting cytoskeletal organization and dynamics in multiple ways. To sort the temporal and spatial regulation of EGF-dependent cytoskeletal re-organization in relation to a cell’s motile behavior time-lapse microscopy was performed on EGF-responsive gastric carcinoma-derived MKN1 cells co-expressing different fluorescently labeled cytoskeletal filaments and focal adhesion components in various combinations. The experiments showed that EGF almost instantaneously induces a considerable increase in membrane ruffling and lamellipodial activity that can be inhibited by Cetuximab EGF receptor antibodies and is not elicited in non-responsive gastric carcinoma Hs746T cells. The transient cell extensions are rich in actin but lack microtubules and keratin intermediate filaments. We show that this EGF-induced increase in membrane motility can be measured by a simple image processing routine. Microtubule plus-ends subsequently invade growing cell extensions, which start to accumulate focal complexes at the lamellipodium-lamellum junction. Such paxillin-positive complexes mature into focal adhesions by tyrosine phosphorylation and recruitment of zyxin. These adhesions then serve as nucleation sites for keratin filaments which are used to enlarge the neighboring peripheral keratin network. Focal adhesions are either disassembled or give rise to stable zyxin-rich fibrillar adhesions which disassemble in the presence of EGF to support formation of new focal adhesion sites in the cell periphery. Taken together the results serve as a basis for modeling the early cytoskeletal EGF response as a tightly coordinated and step-wise process which is relevant for the prediction of the effectiveness of anti-EGF receptor-based tumor therapy.