OTUB2 Promotes Cancer Metastasis via Hippo-Independent Activation of YAP and TAZ

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GATA1通过上调NANOG促进胰腺癌肿瘤干细胞形成

目的:探究GATA1在胰腺癌肿瘤干细胞形成中的功能和作用机制。方法:通过流式细胞术检测GATA1对胰腺癌肿瘤干细胞形成的影响;通过实时荧光定量PCR和Western印迹筛选和验证GATA1下游的干性基因;通过双萤光素酶报告基因实验和染色质免疫共沉淀明确GATA1的调控机制。结果:GATA1过表达细胞株中肿瘤干细胞含量增加;GATA1上调NANOG的mRNA和蛋白表达水平;GATA1可以增强NANOG启动子的活性;GATA1结合在NANOG启动子-527^-524bp处的GATA序列。结论:GATA1可以通过结合在NANOG启动子上激活其转录,促进胰腺癌肿瘤干细胞的形成。     

miRNA-20a促进卵巢癌细胞OVCAR3的转移

目的检测miRNA．20a对卵巢癌细胞系OVCAR3转移能力的影响。方法通过实时定量RT-PCR验证反义寡核苷酸与小干扰RNA封闭与过表达的效果,然后利用MTF、软琼脂集落形成和transwell侵袭实验检测封闭和过表达miRNA．20a对OVCAR3细胞增殖及转移能力的影响。结果封闭内源性miRNA-20a后,细胞活性基本不受影响,但集落形成能力和细胞的转移能力明显降低。过表达miRNA-20a后,细胞活性基本不受影响,但集落形成能力和细胞的转移能力明显升高。结论miRNA-20a可能参与了卵巢癌细胞OVCAR3的转移。     

Aldolase B-Mediated Fructose Metabolism Drives Metabolic Reprogramming of Colon Cancer Liver Metastasis

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TrkB Promotes Breast Cancer Metastasis via Suppression of Runx3 and Keap1 Expression

In metastatic breast cancer, the acquisition of malignant traits has been associated with the increased rate of cell growth and division, mobility, resistance to chemotherapy, and invasiveness. While screening for the key regulators of cancer metastasis, we observed that neurotrophin receptor TrkB is frequently overexpressed in breast cancer patients and breast cancer cell lines. Additionally, we demonstrate that TrkB expression and clinical breast tumor pathological phenotypes show significant correlation. Moreover, TrkB expression was significantly upregulated in basal-like, claudin-low, and metaplastic breast cancers from a published microarray database and in patients with triple-negative breast cancer, which is associated with a higher risk of invasive recurrence. Interestingly, we identified a new TrkB-regulated functional network that is important for the tumorigenicity and metastasis of breast cancer. We demonstrated that TrkB plays a key role in regulation of the tumor suppressors Runx3 and Keap1. A markedly increased expression of Runx3 and Keap1 was observed upon knockdown of TrkB, treatment with a TrkB inhibitor, and in TrkB kinase dead mutants. Additionally, the inhibition of PI3K/AKT activation significantly induced Runx3 and Keap1 expression. Furthermore, we showed that TrkB enhances metastatic potential and induces proliferation. These observations suggest that TrkB plays a key role in tumorigenicity and metastasis of breast cancer cells through suppression of Runx3 or Keap1 and that it is a promising target for future intervention strategies for preventing tumor metastasis and cancer chemoprevention.     

半乳糖 -3-O-磺酰基转移酶-2 与肿瘤转移关系的研究

半乳糖 -3-O- 磺酰基转移酶 -2 (GP3ST) 是一个新近克隆的磺酰基转移酶,其生物学功能还不明确 . GP3ST 在肿瘤细胞和肿瘤组织中差异性表达,以及催化所形成的磺酰化糖链与肿瘤转移潜能密切相关,是首次研究报道 . 在高转移潜能的肿瘤细胞中, GP3ST 及其产物的表达明显高于低转移潜能的细胞,在伴有淋巴结转移的喉癌组织中, GP3ST 的高表达率也明显高于无淋巴结转移的喉癌组织 (P < 0.05) ,而且在喉癌组织中的表达也明显高于相对应的癌周组织 . 利用 RNAi 技术下调肝癌细胞 SMMC7721 中 GP3ST 的表达,观察到稳定转染 RNAi/GP3ST 的细胞形态发生明显的改变,由多边形转变为近似梭形,与 TNF-α刺激后的 HUVEC 和 sL- 选凝蛋白的黏附能力下降 . 进一步研究表明, GP3ST 表达的下降能抑制细胞中的整合蛋白αV 亚基的表达,而β3 亚基表达无改变,同时在高转移细胞株中αV 的表达也明显高于低转移细胞株,与 GP3ST 表达的差异性相一致 . 上述结果充分说明 GP3ST 催化合成的糖链可通过调节肿瘤细胞的黏附性和影响整合蛋白αV 亚基的表达参与肿瘤转移 .     

Histone Methyltransferase KMT2B Promotes Metastasis and Angiogenesis of Cervical Cancer by Upregulating EGF Expression

Evidence has indicated that lysine methyltransferase 2B (KMT2B), a major H3K4 tri-methyltransferase (H3K4me3), contributes to the development of various cancers; however, its role in cervical cancer (CC) is unclear. In this study, increased KMT2B expression was observed in human CC specimens and significantly associated with poor prognosis. The condition medium of KMT2B-overexpressing cells facilitated angiogenesis in vitro. In the subcutaneous model of human CC, KMT2B overexpression significantly promoted tumor growth and increased tumor vascular density. Meanwhile, KMT2B enhanced the migration and invasion of CC cells and promoted their metastasis to bone in a tail-vein-metastasis model. Mechanistically, the genes upregulated by KMT2B were significantly enriched in PI3K-AKT pathway. Using H3K4me3 ChIP-seq analysis, we found increased H3K4me3 level at EGF promoter region in KMT2B-overexpressing HeLa cells. ChIP-qPCR experiments not only confirmed the increased H3K4me3 level of EGF promoter but also determined that in KMT2B-overexpressing HeLa cells, KMT2B increased binding with the EGF promoter. Blocking EGFR diminished the KMT2B-induced PI3K-AKT signaling activation and CC cell migration and invasion. Moreover, EGFR inhibitors abolished the KMT2B-drived tube formation capacity of HUVECs. In conclusion, KMT2B facilitates CC metastasis and angiogenesis by upregulating EGF expression, and may serve as a new therapeutic target for CC.     

Pax3对神经细胞中的转录调控作用的实验研究

摘要 目的：探讨Pax3的过表达对Neuro-2a细胞中转录本的表达影响,初步分析Pax3对Neuro-2a细胞可能的转录调控作用。方法：反复冻融裂解法获取Pax3过表达腺病毒后将神经瘤母细胞系Neuro-2a传代培养,而后将Pax3过表达腺病毒和传代培养后的Neuro-2a细胞加入到同一培养皿中,蛋白质免疫印迹（Western blot）检测过表达Pax3蛋白的Neuro-2a细胞（Pax3过表达组）和对照组（NC组）Neuro-2a细胞的Pax3蛋白表达水平,实时荧光定量PCR（qRT-PCR）法检测Pax3过表达组和NC组Neuro-2a细胞的Pax3mRNA水平,Trizol法提取Pax3过表达组和NC组Neuro-2a细胞的总RNA,然后进行全转录本测序,最后将选出的有差异性的基因使用实时荧光定量PCR（qRT-PCR）验证。结果：与NC组相比,Pax3过表达组的Pax3蛋白和Pax3mRNA表达水平明显升高（P＜0.05）;Pax3过表达组中发现了1045个基因表达上调,1313个基因表达下调。通过qRT-PCR验证发现在Pax3过表达组中Nppb和Chrna5表达水平上升（P＜0.05）,Arhgap5、Rock1、Rif1、Brca2、Prkg2和Stag2表达水平下降（P＜0.05）。结论：Pax3过表达腺病毒感染Neuro-2a细胞后,其蛋白和mRNA表达水平均升高,Rock1、Rif1和Stag2可能作为Pax3的下游靶点参与调控Neuro-2a细胞周期和干细胞特性。     

SiRNA沉默Notch2表达对Lewis肺癌细胞增殖和周期的影响

目的:采用RNA干扰技术下调Notch2基因在Lewis肺癌细胞(LLC)的表达,探讨Notch2表达下调对LLC增殖和周期的影响.方法:通过脂质体2000将Notch2-siRNA和对照con-siRNA分别转染LLC后,通过PCR,RT-PCR检测Notch2的表达情况;通过MTT、软琼脂克隆形成实验检测LLC的生长情况;并使用流式细胞技术检测细胞周期.结果:SiRNA转染LLC48小时后,PCR和RT-PCR检测结果显示Notch2在实验组的表达受到显著抑制;MTT实验显示干扰Notch2的表达显著抑制了LLC的增殖(P＜0.001);软琼脂克隆形成实验表明干扰Notch2的表达将影响LLC的克隆形成;细胞周期实验进一步证实干扰Notch2的表达使处于活跃增殖期(S期)的LLC数量明显减少.结论:Notch2在LLC中的表达发挥重要的促癌作用,干扰Notch2的表达能显著抑制LLC的分裂增殖和克隆形成,从而抑制肿瘤的生长.     

Cancer-Derived Succinate Promotes Macrophage Polarization and Cancer Metastasis via Succinate Receptor

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中心体蛋白70促进乳腺癌细胞的侵袭和转移

中心体蛋白70（centrosomal protein 70, CEP70）可通过介导内皮细胞的迁移影响血管新生,肿瘤的转移能力与肿瘤细胞的迁移密切相关,CEP70是否影响肿瘤细胞的侵袭转移尚不明确。结合前期淋巴结转移和未发生淋巴结转移原位乳腺癌组织的基因表达芯片的比较结果,本研究通过免疫组化染色,检测CEP70在淋巴结转移和未发生淋巴结转移的原位乳腺癌组织中的表达情况,以及real-time PCR和Western 印迹检测不同乳腺癌细胞系中CEP70的表达,结果提示,淋巴结转移患者的乳腺癌组织中CEP70强阳性的比例明显高于未发生淋巴结转移的乳腺癌组织,同时CEP70在侵袭能力强的乳腺癌细胞中表达较高。利用慢病毒转染构建CEP70稳定下调的MDA-MB-231细胞系,划痕实验以及侵袭转移的结果显示,下调CEP70的表达,可明显抑制MDA-MB-231细胞系的细胞迁移和侵袭能力。上述结果证明,CEP70的表达与乳腺癌的侵袭转移呈正相关,下调CEP70可抑制乳腺癌的侵袭转移,因此CEP70有望成为乳腺癌临床诊断及治疗的新靶点。     

Impaired embryonic haematopoiesis yet normal arterial development in the absence of the Notch ligand Jagged1

Specific deletion of Notch1 and RBPjkappa in the mouse results in abrogation of definitive haematopoiesis concomitant with the loss of arterial identity at embryonic stage. As prior arterial determination is likely to be required for the generation of embryonic haematopoiesis, it is difficult to establish the specific haematopoietic role of Notch in these mutants. By analysing different Notch-ligand-null embryos, we now show that Jagged1 is not required for the establishment of the arterial fate but it is required for the correct execution of the definitive haematopoietic programme, including expression of GATA2 in the dorsal aorta. Moreover, successful haematopoietic rescue of the Jagged1-null AGM cells was obtained by culturing them with Jagged1-expressing stromal cells or by lentiviral-mediated transduction of the GATA2 gene. Taken together, our results indicate that Jagged1-mediated activation of Notch1 is responsible for regulating GATA2 expression in the AGM, which in turn is essential for definitive haematopoiesis in the mouse.     

Secreted Pyruvate Kinase M2 Promotes Lung Cancer Metastasis through Activating the Integrin Beta1/FAK Signaling Pathway

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Both Notch1 and Notch2 contribute to the regulation of melanocyte homeostasis

Notch signaling affects a variety of mammalian stem cells, but there has been limited evidence that a specific Notch molecule regulates adult stem cells. Recently, it was reported that the reduced Notch signaling initiated at the embryonic stage results in a gradual hair graying phenotype after birth. Here we demonstrate that the oral administration of a gamma-secretase inhibitor (GSI) to wild-type adult C57/Bl6 mice led to a gradual increase in gray spots, which remained unchanged for at least 20 weeks after discontinuing the GSI. In GSI-treated mice, there was a severe decrease in unpigmented melanocytes in the bulge/subbulge region where melanocyte stem cells are located. While we confirmed that Notch1+/-Notch2+/- double heterozygous mice with a C57/Bl6 background were born with a normal hair color phenotype and gradually turned gray after the second hair cycle, in the c-kit mutant Wv background, Notch1+/- and Notch2+/- mice had larger white spots on the first appearance of hair than did the Wv/+ mice, which did not change throughout life. Notch1+/-Notch2+/-Wv/+ mice had white hair virtually all over the body at the first appearance of hair and the depigmentation continued to progress thereafter. Using a neural crest organ culture system, GSI blocked the generation of pigmented melanocytes when added to the culture during the period of melanoblast proliferation, but not during the period of differentiation. These observations imply roles of Notch signaling in both development of melanocyte during embryogenesis and maintenance of melanocyte stem cells in adulthood, while the degree of requirement is distinct in these settings: the latter is more sensitive than the former to the reduced Notch signaling. Furthermore, Notch1 and Notch2 cooperates with c-kit signaling during embryogenesis, and they cooperate with each other to regulate melanocyte homeostasis after birth.     

Characterization of Notch3-deficient mice: normal embryonic development and absence of genetic interactions with a Notch1 mutation

The Notch signaling pathway is an evolutionarily conserved signaling mechanism and mutations in its components disrupt cell fate specification and embryonic development in many organisms. To analyze the in vivo role of the Notch3 gene in mice, we created a deletion allele by gene targeting. Embryos homozygous for this mutation developed normally and homozygous mutant adults were viable and fertile. We also examined whether we could detect genetic interactions during early embryogenesis between the Notch3 mutation and a targeted mutation of the Notch1 gene. Double homozygous mutant embryos exhibited defects normally observed in Notch1-deficient embryos, but we detected no obvious synergistic effects in the double mutants. These data demonstrate that the Notch3 gene is not essential for embryonic development or fertility in mice, and does not have a redundant function with the Notch1 gene during early embryogenesis.     

Activation dynamics and signaling properties of Notch3 receptor in the developing pulmonary artery

Notch3 signaling is fundamental for arterial specification of systemic vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs). However, the developmental role and signaling properties of the Notch3 receptor in the mouse pulmonary artery remain unknown. Here, we demonstrate that Notch3 is expressed selectively in pulmonary artery VSMCs, is activated from late fetal to early postnatal life, and is required to maintain the morphological characteristics and smooth muscle gene expression profile of the pulmonary artery after birth. Using a conditional knock-out mouse model, we show that Notch3 receptor activation in VSMCs is Jagged1-dependent. In vitro VSMC lentivirus-mediated Jagged1 knockdown, confocal localization analysis, and co-culture experiments revealed that Notch3 activation is cell-autonomous and occurs through the physical engagement of Notch3 and VSMC-derived Jagged1 in the interior of the same cell. Although the current models of mammalian Notch signaling involve a two-cell system composed of a signal-receiving cell that expresses a Notch receptor on its surface and a neighboring signal-sending cell that provides membrane-bound activating ligand, our data suggest that pulmonary artery VSMC Notch3 activation is cell-autonomous. This unique mechanism of Notch activation may play an important role in the maturation of the pulmonary artery during the transition to air breathing.