CRISPR/Cas9沉默PAK5抑制乳腺癌细胞增殖并促进细胞衰老

p21活化激酶5(p21-activated kinase 5,PAK5)是一种丝氨酸/苏氨酸激酶,调节多种细胞进程,包括细胞骨架重构、细胞增殖、迁移和侵袭.研究表明,PAK5是调控乳腺癌进程的关键因子,但与衰老关系的研究尚未见报道.本研究利用CRISPR/Cas9慢病毒感染方法,构建敲低PAK5的人乳腺癌MDA-MB...     

Down-Regulation of C9orf86 in Human Breast Cancer Cells Inhibits Cell Proliferation,Invasion and Tumor Growth and Correlates with Survival of Breast Cancer Patients

C9orf86 which is a novel subfamily within the Ras superfamily of GTPases, is overexpressed in the majority of primary breast tumors. Few functional studies have focused on the C9orf86 protein; therefore, in this study, we explored the role of C9orf86 in breast carcinogenesis. In our study, we found that silencing of C9orf86 by siRNA in MCF-7 and SK-BR-3 cells resulted in suppressed cell proliferation as well as in vitro cell invasion capabilities. Moreover, knockdown of C9orf86 inhibited tumor growth in nude mice. Cell cycle and apoptotic assays showed that the anti-proliferative effect of C9orf86-siRNA was mediated by arresting cells in the G1 phase and promoting apoptosis. In addition, we found that patients with high levels of C9orf86 expression showed a significant trend towards worse survival compared to patients with low C9orf86 expression (P = 0.002). These results provide evidence that C9orf86 represents a novel and clinically useful biomarker for BC patients and plays an important role during the progression of BC.     

Decreased TUSC3 Promotes Pancreatic Cancer Proliferation,Invasion and Metastasis

Pancreatic cancer is an aggressive disease with dismal prognosis. It is of paramount importance to understand the underlying etiological mechanisms and identify novel, consistent, and easy-to-apply prognostic factors for precision therapy. TUSC3 (tumor suppressor candidate 3) was identified as a potential tumor suppressor gene and previous study showed TUSC3 is decreased in pancreatic cancer at mRNA level, but its putative tumor suppressor function remains to be verified. In this study, TUSC3 expression was found to be suppressed both at mRNA and protein levels in cell line models as well as in clinical samples; decreased TUSC3 expression was associated with higher pathological TNM staging and poorer outcome. In three pairs of cell lines with different NF-κB activity, TUSC3 expression was found to be reversely correlated with NF-κB activity. TUSC3-silenced pancreatic cancer cell line exhibited enhanced potential of proliferation, migration and invasion. In an orthotopic implanted mice model, TUSC3 silenced cells exhibited more aggressive phenotype with more liver metastasis. In conclusion, the current study shows that decreased immunological TUSC3 staining is a factor prognostic of poor survival in pancreatic cancer patients and decreased TUSC3 promotes pancreatic cancer cell proliferation, invasion and metastasis. The reverse correlation between NF-κB activity and TUSC3 expression may suggest a novel regulation pattern for this molecule.     

Rho Isoform-specific Interaction with IQGAP1 Promotes Breast Cancer Cell Proliferation and Migration

We performed a proteomics screen for Rho isoform-specific binding proteins to clarify the tumor-promoting effects of RhoA and C that contrast with the tumor-suppressive effects of RhoB. We found that the IQ-motif-containing GTPase-activating protein IQGAP1 interacts directly with GTP-bound, prenylated RhoA and RhoC, but not with RhoB. Co-immunoprecipitation of IQGAP1 with endogenous RhoA/C was enhanced when RhoA/C were activated by epidermal growth factor (EGF) or transfection of a constitutively active guanine nucleotide exchange factor (GEF). Overexpression of IQGAP1 increased GTP-loading of RhoA/C, while siRNA-mediated depletion of IQGAP1 prevented endogenous RhoA/C activation by growth factors. IQGAP1 knockdown also reduced the amount of GTP bound to GTPase-deficient RhoA/C mutants, suggesting that IQGAP enhances Rho activation by GEF(s) or stabilizes Rho-GTP. IQGAP1 depletion in MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cells blocked EGF- and RhoA-induced stimulation of DNA synthesis. Infecting cells with adenovirus encoding constitutively active RhoA^L63 and measuring absolute amounts of RhoA-GTP in infected cells demonstrated that the lack of RhoA^L63-induced DNA synthesis in IQGAP1-depleted cells was not due to reduced GTP-bound RhoA. These data suggested that IQGAP1 functions downstream of RhoA. Overexpression of IQGAP1 in MDA-MB-231 cells increased DNA synthesis irrespective of siRNA-mediated RhoA knockdown. Breast cancer cell motility was increased by expressing a constitutively-active RhoC^V14 mutant or overexpressing IQGAP1. EGF- or RhoC-induced migration required IQGAP1, but IQGAP1-stimulated migration independently of RhoC, placing IQGAP1 downstream of RhoC. We conclude that IQGAP1 acts both upstream of RhoA/C, regulating their activation state, and downstream of RhoA/C, mediating their effects on breast cancer cell proliferation and migration, respectively.     

Semaphorin 4D Promotes Skeletal Metastasis in Breast Cancer

Bone density is controlled by interactions between osteoclasts, which resorb bone, and osteoblasts, which deposit it. The semaphorins and their receptors, the plexins, originally shown to function in the immune system and to provide chemotactic cues for axon guidance, are now known to play a role in this process as well. Emerging data have identified Semaphorin 4D (Sema4D) as a product of osteoclasts acting through its receptor Plexin-B1 on osteoblasts to inhibit their function, tipping the balance of bone homeostasis in favor of resorption. Breast cancers and other epithelial malignancies overexpress Sema4D, so we theorized that tumor cells could be exploiting this pathway to establish lytic skeletal metastases. Here, we use measurements of osteoblast and osteoclast differentiation and function in vitro and a mouse model of skeletal metastasis to demonstrate that both soluble Sema4D and protein produced by the breast cancer cell line MDA-MB-231 inhibits differentiation of MC3T3 cells, an osteoblast cell line, and their ability to form mineralized tissues, while Sema4D-mediated induction of IL-8 and LIX/CXCL5, the murine homologue of IL-8, increases osteoclast numbers and activity. We also observe a decrease in the number of bone metastases in mice injected with MDA-MB-231 cells when Sema4D is silenced by RNA interference. These results are significant because treatments directed at suppression of skeletal metastases in bone-homing malignancies usually work by arresting bone remodeling, potentially leading to skeletal fragility, a significant problem in patient management. Targeting Sema4D in these cancers would not affect bone remodeling and therefore could elicit an improved therapeutic result without the debilitating side effects.     

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。     

长链非编码RNA SNHG1促进肺癌细胞增殖

近年来,大量证据表明长链非编码RNA (long non-coding RNAs, lncRNAs) 在肿瘤发生发展中发挥重要的作用。本研究通过生物信息学预测发现,核仁小分子RNA宿主基因1(small nucleolar RNA host gene 1,SNHG1)无蛋白质编码功能,且主要定位于细胞质。qRT-PCR结果显示,SNHG1在肺癌细胞中的表达量显著高于正常肺上皮细胞。在肺癌细胞NCI-H1299中,敲低SNHG1发现,该细胞增殖能力明显下降;在正常肺上皮细胞BEAS-2B中,过表达SNHG1可显著促进该细胞的增殖能力。深入研究发现,SNHG1可上调CDK4和下调p27kip1在蛋白质水平的表达,而对其mRNA水平表达量无影响。此外,在肺癌临床组织中也发现SNHG1高表达,且高表达的SNHG1与肺癌瘤体大小、TNM分期和远端转移正相关,而与患者年龄及吸烟史无关。综上所述,SNHG1在肺癌中高表达,通过上调CDK4和下调p27kip1推进肺癌进程。     

O-GlcNAcylation of Cofilin Promotes Breast Cancer Cell Invasion

O-GlcNAcylation is a post-translational modification that regulates a broad range of nuclear and cytoplasmic proteins and is emerging as a key regulator of various biological processes. Previous studies have shown that increased levels of global O-GlcNAcylation and O-GlcNAc transferase (OGT) are linked to the incidence of metastasis in breast cancer patients, but the molecular basis behind this is not fully known. In this study, we have determined that the actin-binding protein cofilin is O-GlcNAcylated by OGT and mainly, if not completely, mediates OGT modulation of cell mobility. O-GlcNAcylation at Ser-108 of cofilin is required for its proper localization in invadopodia at the leading edge of breast cancer cells during three-dimensional cell invasion. Loss of O-GlcNAcylation of cofilin leads to destabilization of invadopodia and impairs cell invasion, although the actin-severing activity or lamellipodial localization is not affected. Our study provides insights into the mechanism of post-translational modification in fine-tuning the regulation of cofilin activity and suggests its important implications in cancer metastasis.     

丝甘蛋白聚糖促进非小细胞肺癌的侵袭与转移

丝甘蛋白聚糖(serglycin,SRGN)在肿瘤细胞的侵袭与转移中具有广泛的研究前景。本研究报道SRGN与肺癌细胞侵袭与转移能力之间的相关性。首先,通过检测SRGN在正常肺上皮细胞株BEAS-2B及不同侵袭与转移能力的肺癌细胞株95C、95D中的表达差异。利用shRNA干扰技术,在侵袭与转移能力强的95D细胞中建立稳定干扰SRGN表达的95D/shSRGN的细胞株,并通过RT-qPCR、Western印迹、酶联免疫吸附测定验证其敲除效率。结果显示：干扰SRGN可抑制侵袭与转移性强的95D细胞的侵袭与转移能力,减弱细胞迁移与侵袭等生物学特性,导致上皮标志物上皮细胞钙黏连蛋白（E-cadherin）表达上调,间质标志物纤维连接蛋白1（fibronectin1, FN1）及EMT（epithelial-mesenchymal transition, EMT）相关转录因子锌指E盒结合同源框1（zinc finger E-box binding homeobox 1, ZEB1）表达下调。进一步分析发现, SRGN与上皮细胞钙黏连蛋白表达成负相关（P=-0.25）,而与FN1(P=0.12)及ZEB1(P=0.35)表达成正相关,并且SRGN高表达的患者总生存时间明显少于SRGN低表达组（P=0.0077）,SRGN与ZEB1同时高表达的患者,总生存时间显著小于SRGN与ZEB1低表达患者（P=0.0005）。研究结果证实,SRGN促进上皮间质转化发生,增强非小细胞肺癌的侵袭与转移能力,为非小细胞肺癌预后提供参考。     

乳腺癌细胞迁移的调节与转移

细胞迁移是乳腺癌侵袭和转移中的关键步骤之一.癌细胞在迁移过程中主要受到Rho GTPases的调节,发生肌动蛋白骨架重组,获得定向迁移的能力;高迁移能力的癌细胞通过与胞外基质成分相互作用,为迁移创造合适的微环境;最后迁移的癌细胞在靶器官的趋化作用下在特定部位驻足生长,这些环节共同作用导致乳腺癌转移.研究细胞迁移复杂的分子机制将为控制乳腺癌转移提供新的策略.     

Microenvironment Promotes Tumor Cell Reprogramming in Human Breast Cancer Cell Lines

The microenvironment drives mammary gland development and function, and may influence significantly both malignant behavior and cell growth of mammary cancer cells. By restoring context, and forcing cells to properly interpret native signals from the microenvironment, the cancer cell aberrant behavior can be quelled, and organization re-established. In order to restore functional and morphological differentiation, human mammary MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231 cancer cells were allowed to grow in a culture medium filled with a 10% of the albumen (EW, Egg White) from unfertilized chicken egg. That unique microenvironment behaves akin a 3D culture and induces MCF-7 cells to produce acini and branching duct-like structures, distinctive of mammary gland differentiation. EW-treated MDA-MB-231 cells developed buds of acini and duct-like structures. Both MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231 cells produced β-casein, a key milk component. Furthermore, E-cadherin expression was reactivated in MDA-MB-231 cells, as a consequence of the increased cdh1 expression; meanwhile β-catenin – a key cytoskeleton component – was displaced behind the inner cell membrane. Such modification hinders the epithelial-mesenchymal transition in MDA-MB-231 cells. This differentiating pathway is supported by the contemporary down-regulation of canonical pluripotency markers (Klf4, Nanog). Given that egg-conditioned medium behaves as a 3D-medium, it is likely that cancer phenotype reversion could be ascribed to the changed interactions between cells and their microenvironment.     

HMGA2通过激活Wnt信号通路促进结直肠癌细胞增殖

目的:HMGA2(high-mobility group AT-hook 2)一个染色质蛋白,被报道在多种癌症中都发挥重要作用。本文研究染色体蛋白HMGA2对Wnt信号传递的影响,及对结直肠癌细胞增殖的影响。方法:本文通过q RT-PCR和免疫印迹法检测HMGA2在结直肠癌样本中m RNA和蛋白水平。用荧光素酶报告基因系统研究HMGA2对Wnt信号通路的作用。用细胞增殖实验检测HMGA2对结直肠癌细胞增殖的作用。结果:在我们检测的大部分结直肠癌样本里,HMGA2表达水平升高;HMGA2蛋白可上调Wnt信号通路荧光素酶报告基因TOPflash-luciferase的表达,并呈现剂量依赖的形式。降低HMGA2表达可抑制由Wnt3a、Dvl(Dishevelled)、Li Cl以及βcatenin(S37A)引起的TOPflash-luciferase报告基因表达上调作用。此外,SW480中过量表达HMGA2可以促进细胞增殖。结论:HMGA2在结直肠癌中表达升高,HMGA2在结直肠癌中通过增强Wnt信号来促进结直肠癌细胞的增殖。     

LncRNA AC009686.2促进乳腺癌细胞增殖和侵袭

长非编码RNAs(long non-coding RNAs,LncRNAs)作为一类基因表达的调控因子,在多种肿瘤的发生发展中发挥关键作用,然而LncRNAs在乳腺癌中的作用及相关机制尚未完全阐明.为了寻找在乳腺癌发生发展中起关键作用的LncRNAs,本研究通过分析TCGA数据库发现,LncRNA AC009686.2...     

miR-182靶向抑制FBXW7表达影响非小细胞肺癌细胞增殖研究

目的:研究microRNA-182(miR-182)在非小细胞肺癌(NSCLC)组织中的表达,并探讨其对NSCLC细胞增殖的影响及作用机制。方法:采用实时荧光定量PCR (qRT-PCR)检测miR-182在11例NSCLC及相应癌旁组织中的表达情况;Western blot检测FBXW7,c-Jun,c-Myc及cyclin D蛋白的表达;将miR-182模拟物,抑制物及相应空白对照瞬时转染H460细胞后,以细胞增殖与活性检测和克隆形成实验检测细胞系的增殖情况;流式细胞术检测细胞周期和凋亡变化;荧光素酶报告基因实验证实miR-182对FBXW7的靶向性作用。结果:NSCLC组织中miR-182的相对表达水平显著高于癌旁组织(P0.05)。转染组与对照组相比,H460细胞生长、克隆形成能力显著增强,细胞周期进程加快,细胞凋亡受到抑制(P0.05)。在NSCLC组织中,FBXW7蛋白的表达水平明显低于癌旁组织(P0.05)。miR-182 mimics显著降低野生型FBXW7质粒荧光素酶的活性,然而将结合位点突变后,miR-182 mimics则不再影响荧光素酶的活性。结论:miR-182在NSCLC组织中高表达,与FBXW7之间存在靶向关系,通过下调FBXW7蛋白表达促进NSCLC细胞的增殖,参与肿瘤的发生发展,预示其可能成为一种潜在的生物标志和治疗靶点。