PDE4D targeting enhances anti-tumor effects of sorafenib in clear cell renal cell carcinoma and attenuates MAPK/ERK signaling in a CRAF-dependent manner

Clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC) is the most lethal form of kidney cancer and effective treatment regimens are yet to be established. Tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKI) have widely been used as ccRCC therapeutics, but their efficacy is limited due to accompanying resistance mechanisms. Previous studies have provided substantial evidence for crosstalk between cAMP and the MAPK/ERK signaling pathway. Low levels of intracellular cAMP have been found in several human malignancies and some data suggest that elevation of cAMP expression can be achieved by phosphodiesterase 4 (PDE4) inhibition, resulting in cell growth arrest and/or cell death. The effects of crosstalk between cAMP and the MAPK/ERK pathway on the development progression in ccRCR, however, remain to be fully understood. In this study, we sought to explore the involvement of PDE4 in ccRCC and to assess its potential as a target for therapeutic intervention. We demonstrated that PDE4D is the predominant subtype of PDE4 expressed in healthy and cancerous renal cell lines, particularly in metastatic Caki-1 cells. We generated a CRISPR/Cas9-mediated PDE4D-KO Caki-1 cell model and showed that PDE4D depletion reduced cell proliferation and recovered cAMP expression in these cells. PDE4D-KO and/or PDE4 inhibition with the FDA approved PDE4 inhibitor, roflumilast, also attenuated MAPK/ERK signaling in a CRAF-dependent manner. Most interestingly, we showed that PDE4D-KO enhanced the effectiveness of the TKI, sorafenib, to stunt cell survival. In conclusion, we provide preliminary evidence of PDE4 involvement in ccRCC and suggest a rationale for dual tyrosine kinase/PDE4D targeting in patients with CRAF-dependent MAPK activation.     

Immunoelectron microscopic demonstration of the membrane proteases aminopeptidase N/CD13 and dipeptidyl peptidase IV/CD26 in normal and neoplastic renal parenchymal tissues and cells

Aminopeptidase N (APN, CD13) and dipeptidyl peptidase IV (DPP IV, CD26) are transmembrane ectoenzymes occurring in a wide variety of cells. They are involved in tumour cell invasion and the formation of metastases. A basis for further information about these enzymes is the exact ultrastructural localization in normal and malignant cells. In this paper, we demonstrate the precise subcellular localization of the membrane peptidases APN and DPP IV on the cell surfaces in renal tissues, renal cell carcinoma, cultured renal parenchymal cells and cultured renal carcinoma cells. Using cryo-ultramicrotomy of weakly fixed tissues and cells in combination with indirect immunogold labelling, both membrane peptidases were detectable on the external cell surfaces. They showed different ultrastructural expression patterns. Both membrane peptidases were abundantly labelled on the external cell surfaces of human kidney proximal tubular cells. The expression pattern of APN/CD13 and DPP IV/CD26 in single labelling was confirmed by a successive double labelling technique. The immunolabelling of CD13 on cultured renal parenchymal cells showed a stronger expression then in cells in vivo, but CD26 could not be found. In renal cell cancer (mixed clear cell/chromophilic, poorly differentiated and clear cell type, moderately differentiated) CD13 and CD26 were labelled as in benign renal tissue, but CD26 appeared overexpressed. On the renal carcinoma cells Caki-1 and Caki-2, only one of the two peptidases could be found. CD13 was present non-homogeneously in Caki-1, where the enzyme appeared to form clusters. When CD26 on the cultured renal carcinoma cells Caki-2, is compared with renal proximal tubular cells and renal carcinoma cells in tissue sections, a reduced expression is observed. CD13 was not detected in Caki-2, and CD26 was not found in Caki-1. These small changes on the cell surfaces can only be detected by electronmicroscopic methods. The differences in the distribution of APN/CD13 and DPP IV/CD26 in normal and malignant cells are discussed in connection with literature. Further investigations, especially labelling studies on other neoplastic tissues and cells, will be necessary in order to explain the precise role these membrane peptidases in malignancies.     

MiR-506 Is Down-Regulated in Clear Cell Renal Cell Carcinoma and Inhibits Cell Growth and Metastasis via Targeting FLOT1

Background

Some microRNAs (miRNAs) are abnormally expressed in cancer and contribute to tumorigenesis. In the present study, we investigated the role of miR-506 in clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC).

Methods

miR-506 expression was detected in renal cancer cell lines 786-O, ACHN, Caki-1, and Caki-2 and ccRCC specimens by quantitative real-time-PCR. We assessed the association of miR-506 expression with pathology and prognosis in ccRCC patients. We over-expressed and knocked-down miR-506 expression in two renal cancer cell lines, 786-O and ACHN, and assessed the impact on cell proliferation, migration and invasion. A luciferase reporter assay was conducted to confirm the target gene of miR-506 in renal cancer cell lines.

Results

miR-506 was significantly down-regulated in renal cancer cell lines and ccRCC specimens. Low miR-506 expression in ccRCC specimens was associated with an advanced clinical stage and poor prognosis. miR-506 expression was an independent prognostic marker of overall ccRCC patient survival in a multivariate analysis. Over-expression of miR-506 in renal cancer cells decreased cell growth and metastasis, In contrast, down-regulation of miR-506 expression promoted renal cancer cell growth and metastasis. FLOT1, a potential target gene of miR-506, was inversely correlated with miR-506 expression in ccRCC tissues. Consistent with the effect of miR-506, knockdown of FLOT1 by siRNA inhibited cell malignant behaviors. Rescue of FLOT1 expression partially restored the effects of miR-506.

Conclusions

miR-506 exerts its anti-cancer function by directly targeting FLOT1 in renal cancer, indicating a potential novel therapeutic role in renal cancer treatment.     

Circular RNA circDVL1 inhibits clear cell renal cell carcinoma progression through the miR-412-3p/PCDH7 axis

Clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC) is a primary kidney cancer with high aggressive phenotype and extremely poor prognosis. Accumulating evidence suggests that circular RNAs (circRNAs) play pivotal roles in the occurrence and development of various human cancers. However, the expression, clinical significance and regulatory role of circRNAs in ccRCC remain largely unclear. Here we report that circDVL1 to be reduced in the serums and tissues from ccRCC patients, and to negatively correlate with ccRCC malignant features. Overexpression of circDVL1 inhibits proliferation, induces G1/S arrest, triggers apoptosis, and reduces migration and invasion in different ccRCC cells in vitro. Correspondingly, circDVL1 overexpression suppresses ccRCC tumorigenicity in a mouse xenograft model. Mechanistically, circDVL1 serves as a sponge for oncogenic miR-412-3p, thereby preventing miR-412-3p-mediated repression of its target protocadherin 7 (PCDH7) in ccRCC cells. Collectively, our results demonstrate that circDVL1 exerts tumor-suppressive function during ccRCC progression through circDVL1/miR-412-3p/PCDH7 axis, and suggest that circDVL1 could be a novel diagnostic and prognositc marker and therapeutic target for ccRCC.     

Ectopic expression of Flt3 kinase inhibits proliferation and promotes cell death in different human cancer cell lines

Stable ectopic expression of Flt3 receptor tyrosine kinase is usually performed in interleukin 3 (IL-3)-dependent murine cell lines like Ba/F3, resulting in loss of IL-3 dependence. Such high-level Flt3 expression has to date not been reported in human acute myeloid leukemia (AML) cell lines, despite the fact that oncogenic Flt3 aberrancies are frequent in AML patients. We show here that ectopic Flt3 expression in different human cancer cell lines might reduce proliferation and induce apoptotic cell death, involving Bax/Bcl2 modulation. Selective depletion of Flt3-expressing cells occurred in human AML cell lines transduced with retroviral Flt3 constructs, shown here using the HL-60 leukemic cell line. Flt3 expression was investigated in two cellular model systems, the SAOS-2 osteosarcoma cell line and the human embryonic kidney HEK293 cell line, and proliferation was reduced in both systems. HEK293 cells underwent apoptosis upon ectopic Flt3 expression and cell death could be rescued by overexpression of Bcl-2. Furthermore, we observed that the Flt3-induced inhibition of proliferation in HL-60 cells appeared to be Bax-dependent. Our results thus suggest that excessive Flt3 expression has growth-suppressive properties in several human cancer cell lines.     

异常激活的葡萄糖-6-磷酸脱氢酶通过上调周期蛋白D1表达促进肾透明细胞癌增殖

葡萄糖6-磷酸脱氢酶（glucose 6-phosphate dehydrogenase,G6PD）为磷酸戊糖途径的调节酶。研究表明,G6PD与多种恶性肿瘤的发生密切相关。然而,G6PD在肾透明细胞癌（clear cell renal cell carcinoma, ccRCC）中的功能及其作用机制却鲜有报道。本研究通过TCGA数据分析发现,G6PD在肾透明细胞癌TNM Ⅲ/Ⅳ期mRNA表达水平显著升高,与患者的性别、原发肿瘤直径、淋巴结转移、远端转移、病灶一侧的偏重性、病理分级以及TNM临床分期密切相关。并且,G6PD异常激活有可能成为评价肾透明细胞癌患者不良预后的分子。细胞系检测结果提示,与对照293T细胞及恶性程度较低的786-O细胞相比,恶性程度较高的Caki-1细胞中的G6PD表达及活性明显增加。基因稳定转染结合CCK8分析结果显示,G6PD过表达或异常激活可显著提高293T及786-O细胞的增殖能力,并且促进786-O细胞中周期蛋白D1基因表达上调。综上,本研究通过TCGA数据库分析和稳定细胞系检测及CCK8分析,结果显示,G6PD在肾透明细胞癌中异常激活,并可上调细胞周期蛋白D1表达,进而促进肿瘤细胞增殖。该研究为进一步揭示肾透明细胞癌分子发病机制以及开发有效的靶向治疗方案提供了借鉴。     

KIF20B promotes the progression of clear cell renal cell carcinoma by stimulating cell proliferation

Renal cell carcinoma (RCC) is a common urinary system cancer with high morbidity and mortality rate. Clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC) is a highly aggressive and common type of RCC. More and effective therapeutic targets are badly needed for the treatment of ccRCC. Kinesin family protein (KIF)20B, also named M-phase phosphoprotein 1, was reported as a microtubule-associated, plus-end-directed kinesin. KIF20B was involved in multiple cellular processes such as cytokinesis. Multiple studies indicated the oncogenic role for KIF20B in several types of tumors, including breast cancer and bladder cancer. However, the possible role of KIF20B in the progression of renal carcinoma is still unknown. Herein, our study demonstrated that KIF20B was relatively highly expressed in ccRCC tissues. In addition, KIF20B was inversely related to the clinical features including tumor size and T stage. We further found that inhibition of the KIF20B expression by a specific short hairpin RNA obviously reduces proliferation of ccRCC cells both in vitro and in vivo. Our study reveals the involvement of KIF20B in ccRCC progression. Generally, KIF20B is a promising novel therapeutic for the treatment of clear cell RCC.     

High Expression of KCa3.1 in Patients with Clear Cell Renal Carcinoma Predicts High Metastatic Risk and Poor Survival

Background

Ca²⁺-activated K⁺ channels have been implicated in cancer cell growth, metastasis, and tumor angiogenesis. Here we hypothesized that high mRNA and protein expression of the intermediate-conductance Ca²⁺-activated K⁺ channel, KCa3.1, is a molecular marker of clear cell Renal Cell Carcinoma (ccRCC) and metastatic potential and survival.

Methodology/Principal Findings

We analyzed channel expression by qRT-PCR, immunohistochemistry, and patch-clamp in ccRCC and benign oncocytoma specimens, in primary ccRCC and oncocytoma cell lines, as well as in two ccRCC cell lines (Caki-1 and Caki-2). CcRCC specimens contained 12-fold higher mRNA levels of KCa3.1 than oncocytoma specimens. The large-conductance channel, KCa1.1, was 3-fold more highly expressed in ccRCC than in oncocytoma. KCa3.1 mRNA expression in ccRCC was 2-fold higher than in the healthy cortex of the same kidney. Disease specific survival trended towards reduction in the subgroup of high-KCa3.1-expressing tumors (p<0.08 vs. low-KCa3.1-expressing tumors). Progression-free survival (time to metastasis/recurrence) was reduced significantly in the subgroup of high-KCa3.1-expressing tumors (p<0.02, vs. low-KCa3.1-expressing tumors). Immunohistochemistry revealed high protein expression of KCa3.1 in tumor vessels of ccRCC and oncocytoma and in a subset of ccRCC cells. Oncocytoma cells were devoid of KCa3.1 protein. In a primary ccRCC cell line and Caki-1/2-ccRCC cells, we found KCa3.1-protein as well as TRAM-34-sensitive KCa3.1-currents in a subset of cells. Furthermore, Caki-1/2-ccRCC cells displayed functional Paxilline-sensitive KCa1.1 currents. Neither KCa3.1 nor KCa1.1 were found in a primary oncocytoma cell line. Yet KCa-blockers, like TRAM-34 (KCa3.1) and Paxilline (KCa1.1), had no appreciable effects on Caki-1 proliferation in-vitro.

Conclusions/Significance

Our study demonstrated expression of KCa3.1 in ccRCC but not in benign oncocytoma. Moreover, high KCa3.1-mRNA expression levels were indicative of low disease specific survival of ccRCC patients, short progression-free survival, and a high metastatic potential. Therefore, KCa3.1 is of prognostic value in ccRCC.     

Tissue transglutaminase expression is necessary for adhesion,metastatic potential and cancer stemness of renal cell carcinoma

Tissue transglutaminase (TG2) is the ubiquitously expressed member of transglutaminase family and shown to play a critical role in the development and progression of drug resistance malignancies. We have previously showed the association of TG2 upregulation with progression and metastasis of renal cell carcinoma (RCC) and low disease-free survival. In the present study we further investigate the role of TG2 in cell adhesion, migration and invasion of RCC by silencing TG2 expression in Caki-2 and A-498 primary site and Caki-1 and ACHN metastatic site RCC cell lines. Downregulation of TG2 expression led up to a 60% decrease in actin stress fiber formation and adhesion to β 1 integrin (ITGB1) substrates fibronectin, collagen type I and laminin in both primary and metastatic site RCC cell lines. In addition, treatment with siRNAs against TG2 impaired the migration capacity and cellular invasiveness of ITGB1 substrates in all 4 RCC cell lines. Lastly, the knockdown of TG2 in metastatic Caki-1 cells diminished the expression of CD44, CD73-and CD105 cancer stem cell-like markers. We conclude, for the first time, that TG2 expression is critical for cancer cell adhesion, migration, invasiveness and cancer cell-stemness during RCC progression and dissemination. Therefore, combined targeting of TG2 with drugs widely used in the treatment of RCC may be a promising therapeutic strategy for RCC.     

A Src family inhibitor (PP1) potentiates tumor-suppressive effect of connexin 32 gene in renal cancer cells

Connexin (Cx) genes exert negative growth effects on tumor cells with certain cell specificity. We have recently reported that Cx32 acts as a tumor suppressor gene in renal cancer cells due to the inhibition of Src-dependent signaling. In line with the previous study, here we examined if a Src family inhibitor (PP1) could potentiate tumor-suppressive effect of Cx32 in Caki-2 cell from human renal cell carcinoma. In order to clarify the potentialization of PP1, using Cx32-transfected Caki-2 cells and mock-transfected Caki-2 cells, we estimated difference in cytotoxic effect of PP1 on the two cell clones in vitro as well as in vivo. PP1 showed more cytotoxic effect on Caki-2 cells having Cx32 positive expression than that of Cx32 negative expression at lower doses. This potentialization was also observed in xenograft model of nude mice. The potentialization of the effect mainly depended on the induction of apoptosis but not the control of cell growth. In conjugation with this event, the reduction of anti-apoptotic molecules (Bcl-2 and Bcl-xL) was caused by the combination of Cx32 expression and PP1 treatment in Caki-2 cells. These results suggest that PP1 potentiates tumor-suppressive effect of connexin 32 gene in renal cancer cells through the reduction of anti-apoptotic molecules.     

Identification of methylation-driven genes related to prognosis in clear-cell renal cell carcinoma

With the participation of the existing treatment methods, the prognosis of advanced clear-cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC) is poor. More evidence indicates the presence of methylation in ccRCC cancer cells, but there is a lack of studies on methylation-driven genes in ccRCC. We analyzed the open data of ccRCC in The Cancer Genome Atlas database to obtain ccRCC-related methylation-driven genes, and then carried out pathway enrichment, survival, and joint survival analyses. More important, we deeply explored the correlation between differential methylation sites and the expression of these driving genes. Finally, we screened 29 methylation-driven genes via MethylMix, of which six were significantly associated with the survival of ccRCC patients. This study demonstrated that the effect of hypermethylation or hypomethylation on prognosis is different, and the level of methylation of key methylation sites is associated with gene expression. We identified methylation-driven genes independently predicting prognosis in ccRCC, which offers theoretical support in bioinformatics for the study of methylation in ccRCC and a new perspective for the epigenetic study of ccRCC.     

Immune modulation by melanoma and ovarian tumor cells through expression of the immunosuppressive molecule CD200

Background and Objective Immune escape by tumors can occur by multiple mechanisms, each a significant barrier to immunotherapy. We previously demonstrated that upregulation of the immunosuppressive molecule CD200 on chronic lymphocytic leukemia cells inhibits Th1 cytokine production required for an effective cytotoxic T cell response. CD200 expression on human tumor cells in animal models prevents human lymphocytes from rejecting the tumor; treatment with an antagonistic anti-CD200 antibody restored lymphocyte-mediated tumor growth inhibition. The current study evaluated CD200 expression on solid cancers, and its effect on immune response in vitro. Methods and Results CD200 protein was expressed on the surface of 5/8 ovarian cancer, 2/4 melanoma, 2/2 neuroblastoma and 2/3 renal carcinoma cell lines tested, but CD200 was absent on prostate, lung, breast, astrocytoma, or glioblastoma cell lines. Evaluation of patient samples by immunohistochemistry showed strong, membrane-associated CD200 staining on malignant cells of melanoma (4/4), ovarian cancer (3/3) and clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC) (2/3), but also on normal ovary and kidney. CD200 expression on melanoma metastases was determined by RT-QPCR, and was found to be significantly higher in jejunum metastases (2/2) and lung metastases (2/6) than in normal samples. Addition of CD200-expressing, but not CD200-negative solid tumor cell lines to mixed lymphocyte reactions downregulated the production of Th1 cytokines. Inclusion of antagonistic anti-CD200 antibody restored Th1 cytokine responses. Conclusion These data suggest that melanoma, ccRCC and ovarian tumor cells can express CD200, thereby potentially suppressing anti-tumor immune responses. CD200 blockade with an antagonistic antibody may permit an effective anti-tumor immune response in these solid tumor types.     

RASSF6 promotes p21Cip1/Waf1-dependent cell cycle arrest and apoptosis through activation of the JNK/SAPK pathway in clear cell renal cell carcinoma

Clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC) is a highly aggressive and common pathological subtype of renal cancer. This cancer is characterized by biallelic inactivation of the von Hippel–Lindau (VHL) tumor suppressor gene, which leads to the accumulation of hypoxia-inducible factors (HIFs). Although therapies targeted at HIFs can significantly improve survival, nearly all patients with advanced ccRCC eventually succumb to the disease. Thus, additional oncogenic events are thought to be involved in the development of ccRCC tumors. In this study, we investigated the role of RASSF6 in ccRCC. Downregulation of RASSF6 was commonly observed in primary tumors relative to matched adjacent normal tissues. Moreover, functional studies established that ectopic re-expression of RASSF6 in ccRCC cells inhibited cell proliferation, clonogenicity, and tumor growth in mice, whereas silencing of RASSF6 dramatically enhanced cell proliferation in vitro and in vivo. Mechanistic investigation suggested that RASSF6 triggers p21^Cip1/Waf1 accumulation to induce G₁ cell cycle arrest and promote apoptosis upon exposure to pro-apoptotic agents, and both of these mechanisms appear to be mediated by activated JNK signaling. Together, these findings suggest that RASSF6 may play a tumor suppressor role in the progression of ccRCC.     

Calcium-activated nucleotidase 1 silencing inhibits proliferation,migration, and invasion in human clear cell renal cell carcinoma

Calcium-activated nucleotidase 1 (CANT1, belongs to the apyrase family, is widely expressed in various organs. However, the biological function of CANT1 remains poorly explored. In this study, we aimed to investigate the expression profile and functions of CANT1 in clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC). Our data show that the protein level of CANT1 was significantly higher in tumor tissues than in adjacent normal tissues. CANT1 silencing suppressed cell proliferation, migration, and invasion obviously in 769-P and 786-O cells, arrested cell cycle in S phase and promoted apoptosis in 769-P cells. In conclusion, the present study shows the different expression mode of CANT1 in human ccRCC tumor tissue and adjacent normal tissue, denotes the function of CANT1 in ccRCC cells and provides potential molecular mechanisms and pathways of CANT1 antitumor function in ccRCC.     

High-level expression of Notch1 increased the risk of metastasis in T1 stage clear cell renal cell carcinoma

Background

Although metastasis of clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC) is basically observed in late stage tumors, T1 stage metastasis of ccRCC can also be found with no definite molecular cause resulting inappropriate selection of surgery method and poor prognosis. Notch signaling is a conserved, widely expressed signal pathway that mediates various cellular processes in normal development and tumorigenesis. This study aims to explore the potential role and mechanism of Notch signaling in the metastasis of T1 stage ccRCC.

Methodology/Principal Findings

The expression of Notch1 and Jagged1 were analyzed in tumor tissues and matched normal adjacent tissues obtained from 51 ccRCC patients. Compared to non-tumor tissues, Notch1 and Jagged1 expression was significantly elevated both in mRNA and protein levels in tumors. Tissue samples of localized and metastatic tumors were divided into three groups based on their tumor stages and the relative mRNA expression of Notch1 and Jagged1 were analyzed. Compared to localized tumors, Notch1 expression was significantly elevated in metastatic tumors in T1 stage while Jagged1 expression was not statistically different between localized and metastatic tumors of all stages. The average size of metastatic tumors was significantly larger than localized tumors in T1 stage ccRCC and the elevated expression of Notch1 was significantly positive correlated with the tumor diameter. The functional significance of Notch signaling was studied by transfection of 786-O, Caki-1 and HKC cell lines with full-length expression plasmids of Notch1 and Jagged1. Compared to the corresponding controls, all cell lines demonstrated significant promotion in cell proliferation and migration while cell cycle remained unaffected.

Conclusions/Significance

High-level expression of Notch signaling increased the risk of metastasis in T1 stage ccRCC by stimulating the proliferation and migration of tumor cells, which may be helpful for the selection of suitable operation method and prognosis of ccRCC.     

Expression of CIDE proteins in clear cell renal cell carcinoma and their prognostic significance

Clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC) is the major and aggressive subtype of renal cell carcinoma. It is known to derive its histologic appearance from accumulation of abundant lipids and glycogens. The cell death-inducing DFF45-like effector (CIDE) family has been characterized as the lipid droplet proteins involved in the metabolism of lipid storage droplets. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the expression of CIDE proteins in ccRCC cells and to investigate their prognostic significance. We examined consecutive patients with sporadic ccRCC, who underwent nephrectomy, to measure their mRNA and protein expression of CIDE proteins. We found that Cidec and ADRP expression were significantly up-regulated in ccRCC, compared with normal kidney tissues. Cideb was down-regulated. We also found that Cideb was expressed more in low-grade ccRCC than in high-grade tumors. To further clarify the relationship between Cideb expression and patient prognosis, we evaluated 57 ccRCC patients followed up for 120 months. Reduced ccRCC Cideb expression was associated with a higher Fuhrman nuclear grade. Patients with high Cideb expression had better overall survival rate than those with low expression (p < 0.05). Cideb expression was an independent predictor of survival (p = 0.001). Although the biologic function of Cideb in ccRCC remains unknown, the expression level of Cideb might be a novel predictor of prognosis in ccRCC.