Wnt Pathway Activity in Breast Cancer Sub-Types and Stem-Like Cells

Introduction

Wnt signalling has been implicated in stem cell regulation however its role in breast cancer stem cell regulation remains unclear.

Methods

We used a panel of normal and breast cancer cell lines to assess Wnt pathway gene and protein expression, and for the investigation of Wnt signalling within stem cell-enriched populations, mRNA and protein expression was analysed after the selection of anoikis-resistant cells. Finally, cell lines and patient-derived samples were used to investigate Wnt pathway effects on stem cell activity in vitro.

Results

Wnt pathway signalling increased in cancer compared to normal breast and in both cell lines and patient samples, expression of Wnt pathway genes correlated with estrogen receptor (ER) expression. Furthermore, specific Wnt pathway genes were predictive for recurrence within subtypes of breast cancer. Canonical Wnt pathway genes were increased in breast cancer stem cell-enriched populations in comparison to normal breast stem cell-enriched populations. Furthermore in cell lines, the ligand Wnt3a increased whilst the inhibitor DKK1 reduced mammosphere formation with the greatest inhibitory effects observed in ER+ve breast cancer cell lines. In patient-derived metastatic breast cancer samples, only ER-ve mammospheres were responsive to the ligand Wnt3a. However, the inhibitor DKK1 efficiently inhibited both ER+ve and ER-ve breast cancer but not normal mammosphere formation, suggesting that the Wnt pathway is aberrantly activated in breast cancer mammospheres.

Conclusions

Collectively, these data highlight differential Wnt signalling in breast cancer subtypes and activity in patient-derived metastatic cancer stem-like cells indicating a potential for Wnt-targeted treatment in breast cancers.     

Loss of secreted frizzled-related protein 4 correlates with an aggressive phenotype and predicts poor outcome in ovarian cancer patients

Background

Activation of the Wnt signaling pathway is implicated in aberrant cellular proliferation in various cancers. In 40% of endometrioid ovarian cancers, constitutive activation of the pathway is due to oncogenic mutations in β-catenin or other inactivating mutations in key negative regulators. Secreted frizzled-related protein 4 (SFRP4) has been proposed to have inhibitory activity through binding and sequestering Wnt ligands.

Methodology/Principal Findings

We performed RT-qPCR and Western-blotting in primary cultures and ovarian cell lines for SFRP4 and its key downstream regulators activated β-catenin, β-catenin and GSK3β. SFRP4 was then examined by immunohistochemistry in a cohort of 721 patients and due to its proposed secretory function, in plasma, presenting the first ELISA for SFRP4. SFRP4 was most highly expressed in tubal epithelium and decreased with malignant transformation, both on RNA and on protein level, where it was even more profound in the membrane fraction (p<0.0001). SFRP4 was expressed on the protein level in all histotypes of ovarian cancer but was decreased from borderline tumors to cancers and with loss of cellular differentiation. Loss of membrane expression was an independent predictor of poor survival in ovarian cancer patients (p = 0.02 unadjusted; p = 0.089 adjusted), which increased the risk of a patient to die from this disease by the factor 1.8.

Conclusions/Significance

Our results support a role for SFRP4 as a tumor suppressor gene in ovarian cancers via inhibition of the Wnt signaling pathway. This has not only predictive implications but could also facilitate a therapeutic role using epigenetic targets.     

Methylation and loss of Secreted Frizzled-Related Protein 3 enhances melanoma cell migration and invasion

Background

Wnt signaling is important in development and can also contribute to the initiation and progression of cancer. The Secreted Frizzled Related Proteins (SFRPs) constitute a family of Wnt modulators, crucial for controlling Wnt signaling. Here we investigate the expression and role of SFRP3 in melanoma.

Methodology/Principal Findings

We show that SFRP3 mRNA is down-regulated in malignant melanoma tumors as compared to normal/benign tissue. Furthermore, we found that SFRP3 expression was lost in the malignant melanoma cell lines, A2058, HTB63 and A375, but not in the non-transformed melanocyte cell line, Hermes 3A. Methylated CpG rich areas were detected in the SFRP3 gene in melanoma cell lines and their SFRP3 expression could be restored using the demethylating agent, 5′aza-deoxycytidine. Addition of recombinant SFRP3 to melanoma cells had no effect on viable cell numbers, but decreased cell migration and invasion. Wnt5a signaling has been shown to increase the migration and invasion of malignant melanoma cells, and high expression of Wnt5a in melanoma tumors has been connected to a poor prognosis. We found that recombinant SFRP3 could inhibit Wnt5a signaling, and that it inhibited melanoma cell migration and invasion in a Wnt5a-dependent manner.

Conclusion/Significance

We conclude that SFRP3 functions as a melanoma migration and invasion suppressor by interfering with Wnt5a signaling.     

Association of Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms in Wnt Signaling Pathway Genes with Breast Cancer in Saudi Patients

Breast cancer is a complex heterogeneous disease involving genetic and epigenetic alterations in genes encoding proteins that are components of various signaling pathways. Candidate gene approach have identified association of genetic variants in the Wnt signaling pathway genes and increased susceptibility to several diseases including breast cancer. Due to the rarity of somatic mutations in key genes of Wnt pathway, we investigated the association of genetic variants in these genes with predisposition to breast cancers. We performed a case-control study to identify risk variants by examining 15 SNPs located in 8 genes associated with Wnt signaling. Genotypic analysis of individual locus showed statistically significant association of five SNPs located in β-catenin, AXIN2, DKK3, SFRP3 and TCF7L2 with breast cancers. Increased risk was observed only with the SNP in β-catenin while the other four SNPs conferred protection against breast cancers. Majority of these associations persisted after stratification of the cases based on estrogen receptor status and age of on-set of breast cancer. The rs7775 SNP in exon 6 of SFRP3 gene that codes for either arginine or glycine exhibited very strong association with breast cancer, even after Bonferroni''s correction. Apart from these five variants, rs3923086 in AXIN2 and rs3763511 in DKK4 that did not show any association in the overall population were significantly associated with early on-set and estrogen receptor negative breast cancers, respectively. This is the first study to utilize pathway based approach to identify association of risk variants in the Wnt signaling pathway genes with breast cancers. Confirmation of our findings in larger populations of different ethnicities would provide evidence for the role of Wnt pathway as well as screening markers for early detection of breast carcinomas.     

Loss of sfrp1 promotes ductal branching in the murine mammary gland

ABSTRACT: BACKGROUND: Secreted frizzled-related proteins (SFRPs) are a family of proteins that block the Wnt signaling pathway and loss of SFRP1 expression is found in breast cancer along with a multitude of other human cancers. Activated Wnt signaling leads to inappropriate mammary gland development and mammary tumorigenesis in mice. When SFRP1 is knocked down in immortalized non-malignant mammary epithelial cells, the cells exhibit a malignant phenotype which resembles the characteristics observed in metastatic breast cancer stem-like cells. However, the effects of SFRP1 loss on mammary gland development in vivo are yet to be elucidated. The work described here was initiated to investigate the role of SFRP1 in mammary gland development and whether SFRP1/ mice exhibit changes in mammary gland morphology and cell signaling pathways shown to be associated with SFRP1 loss in vitro. RESULTS: 10 week old nulliparous SFRP1/ mammary glands exhibited branching with clear lobulo-alveolar development, which normally only occurs in hormonally stimulated mid-pregnant wt mammary glands. Explant cultures of SFRP1/ mammary glands display increased levels of a well known Wnt signaling target gene, Axin2. Histomorphologic evaluation of virgin glands revealed that by 10 weeks of age, the duct profile is markedly altered in SFRP1/ mice showing a significantly higher density of ducts with distinct alveoli present throughout the mammary gland, and with focal ductal epithelial hyperplasia. These findings persist as the mice age and are evident at 23 weeks of age. Changes in gene expression, including c-Myc, TGFbeta-2, Wnt4, RANKL, and Rspo2 early in mammary gland development are consistent with the excessive hyper branching phenotype. Finally, we found that loss of SFRP1 significantly increases the number of mammary epithelial cells capable of mammosphere formation. CONCLUSIONS: Our study indicates that SFRP1 gene is critical for maintaining proper mammary gland development, and that reduced levels of SFRP1 results in hyperplastic lesions and its loss may be a critical event in cancer initiation.     

Potent growth suppressive activity of curcumin in human breast cancer cells: Modulation of Wnt/β-catenin signaling

Abnormal activation of the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway and subsequent upregulation of β-catenin driven downstream targets—c-Myc and cyclin D1 is associated with development of breast cancer. The objective of our study was to determine if curcumin could modulate the key elements of Wnt pathway in breast cancer cells; an effect that might underscore its usefulness for chemoprevention/treatment of this malignancy. Curcumin showed a cytotoxic effect on MCF-7 cells with 50% inhibitory concentration (IC₅₀) of 35 μM; while IC₅₀ for MDA-MB-231 cells was 30 μM. Treatment with low cytostatic dose of 20 μM curcumin showed G₂/M arrest in both breast cancer cells. The effect of curcumin (20 μM) treatment on expression of Wnt/β-catenin pathway components in breast cancer cells (MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231) was analyzed by immunofluorescence and Western blotting. Curcumin was found to effectively inhibit the expression of several Wnt/β-catenin pathway components—disheveled, β-catenin, cyclin D1 and slug in both MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231. Immunofluorescence analysis showed that curcumin markedly reduced the nuclear expression of disheveled and β-catenin proteins. Further, the protein levels of the positively regulated β-catenin targets—cyclin D1 and slug, were downregulated by curcumin treatment. The expression levels of two integral proteins of Wnt signaling, GSK3β and E-cadherin were also altered by curcumin treatment. In conclusion, our data demonstrated that the efficacy of curcumin in inhibition of cell proliferation and induction of apoptosis might occur through modulation of β-catenin pathway in human breast cancer cells.     

c-Myc transforms human mammary epithelial cells through repression of the Wnt inhibitors DKK1 and SFRP1

c-myc is frequently amplified in breast cancer; however, the mechanism of myc-induced mammary epithelial cell transformation has not been defined. We show that c-Myc induces a profound morphological transformation in human mammary epithelial cells and anchorage-independent growth. c-Myc suppresses the Wnt inhibitors DKK1 and SFRP1, and derepression of DKK1 or SFRP1 reduces Myc-dependent transforming activity. Myc-dependent repression of DKK1 and SFRP1 is accompanied by Wnt target gene activation and endogenous T-cell factor activity. Myc-induced mouse mammary tumors have repressed SFRP1 and increased expression of Wnt target genes. DKK1 and SFRP1 inhibit the transformed phenotype of breast cancer cell lines, and DKK1 inhibits tumor formation. We propose a positive feedback loop for activation of the c-myc and Wnt pathways in breast cancer.     

SFRP2 enhances the osteogenic differentiation of apical papilla stem cells by antagonizing the canonical WNT pathway

Background

Exploring the molecular mechanisms underlying directed differentiation is helpful in the development of clinical applications of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs). Our previous study on dental tissue-derived MSCs demonstrated that secreted frizzled-related protein 2 (SFRP2), a Wnt inhibitor, could enhance osteogenic differentiation in stem cells from the apical papilla (SCAPs). However, how SFRP2 promotes osteogenic differentiation of dental tissue-derived MSCs remains unclear. In this study, we used SCAPs to investigate the underlying mechanisms.

Methods

SCAPs were isolated from the apical papilla of immature third molars. Western blot and real-time RT-PCR were applied to detect the expression of β-catenin and Wnt target genes. Alizarin Red staining, quantitative calcium analysis, transwell cultures and in vivo transplantation experiments were used to study the osteogenic differentiation potential of SCAPs.

Results

SFRP2 inhibited canonical Wnt signaling by enhancing phosphorylation and decreasing the expression of nuclear β-catenin in vitro and in vivo. In addition, the target genes of the Wnt signaling pathway, AXIN2 (axin-related protein 2) and MMP7 (matrix metalloproteinase-7), were downregulated by SFRP2. WNT1 inhibited the osteogenic differentiation potential of SCAPs. SFRP2 could rescue this WNT1-impaired osteogenic differentiation potential.

Conclusions

The results suggest that SFRP2 could bind to locally present Wnt ligands and alter the balance of intracellular Wnt signaling to antagonize the canonical Wnt pathway in SCAPs. This elucidates the molecular mechanism underlying the SFRP2-mediated directed differentiation of SCAPs and indicates potential target genes for improving dental tissue regeneration.

     

Secreted frizzled related proteins: Implications in cancers

The Wnt (wingless-type) signaling pathway plays an important role in embryonic development, tissue homeostasis, and tumor progression becaluse of its effect on cell proliferation, migration, and differentiation. Secreted frizzled-related proteins (SFRPs) are extracellular inhibitors of Wnt signaling that act by binding directly to Wnt ligands or to Frizzled receptors. In recent years, aberrant expression of SFRPs has been reported to be associated with numerous cancers. As gene expression of SFRP members is often lost through promoter hypermethylation, inhibition of methylation through the use of epigenetic modifying agents could renew the expression of SFRP members and further antagonize deleterious Wnt signaling. Several reports have described epigenetic silencing of these Wnt signaling antagonists in various human cancers, suggesting their possible role as tumor suppressors. SFRP family members thus come across as potential tools in combating Wnt-driven tumorigenesis. However, little is known about SFRP family members and their role in different cancers. This review comprehensively covers all the available information on the role of SFRP molecules in various human cancers.     

Stromelysin-1 and mesothelin are differentially regulated by Wnt-5a and Wnt-1 in C57mg mouse mammary epithelial cells

Background  

The Wnt signal transduction pathway is important in a wide variety of developmental processes as well as in the genesis of human cancer. Vertebrate Wnt pathways can be functionally separated into two classes, the canonical Wnt/beta-catenin pathway and the non-canonical Wnt/Ca²⁺ pathway. Supporting differences in Wnt signaling, gain of function of Wnt-1 in C57mg mouse mammary epithelial cells leads to their morphological transformation while loss of function of Wnt-5a leads to the same transformation. Many downstream target genes of the Wnt/beta-catenin pathway have been identified. In contrast, little is known about the Wnt/Ca²⁺ pathway and whether it regulates gene expression.     

A critical role for endocytosis in Wnt signaling

Background  

The Wnt signaling pathway regulates many processes during embryonic development, including axis specification, organogenesis, angiogenesis, and stem cell proliferation. Wnt signaling has also been implicated in a number of cancers, bone density maintenance, and neurological conditions during adulthood. While numerous Wnts, their cognate receptors of the Frizzled and Arrow/LRP5/6 families and downstream pathway components have been identified, little is known about the initial events occurring directly after receptor activation.     

Small Molecule Antagonists of the Wnt/Beta-Catenin Signaling Pathway Target Breast Tumor-Initiating Cells in a Her2/Neu Mouse Model of Breast Cancer

Background

Recent evidence suggests that human breast cancer is sustained by a minor subpopulation of breast tumor-initiating cells (BTIC), which confer resistance to anticancer therapies and consequently must be eradicated to achieve durable breast cancer cure.

Methods/Findings

To identify signaling pathways that might be targeted to eliminate BTIC, while sparing their normal stem and progenitor cell counterparts, we performed global gene expression profiling of BTIC- and mammary epithelial stem/progenitor cell- enriched cultures derived from mouse mammary tumors and mammary glands, respectively. Such analyses suggested a role for the Wnt/Beta-catenin signaling pathway in maintaining the viability and or sustaining the self-renewal of BTICs in vitro. To determine whether the Wnt/Beta-catenin pathway played a role in BTIC processes we employed a chemical genomics approach. We found that pharmacological inhibitors of Wnt/β-catenin signaling inhibited sphere- and colony-formation by primary breast tumor cells and primary mammary epithelial cells, as well as by tumorsphere- and mammosphere-derived cells. Serial assays of self-renewal in vitro revealed that the Wnt/Beta-catenin signaling inhibitor PKF118–310 irreversibly affected BTIC, whereas it functioned reversibly to suspend the self-renewal of mammary epithelial stem/progenitor cells. Incubation of primary tumor cells in vitro with PKF118–310 eliminated their capacity to subsequently seed tumor growth after transplant into syngeneic mice. Administration of PKF118–310 to tumor-bearing mice halted tumor growth in vivo. Moreover, viable tumor cells harvested from PKF118–310 treated mice were unable to seed the growth of secondary tumors after transplant.

Conclusions

These studies demonstrate that inhibitors of Wnt/β-catenin signaling eradicated BTIC in vitro and in vivo and provide a compelling rationale for developing such antagonists for breast cancer therapy.     

Turning the Tables: Myc Activates Wnt in Breast Cancer

Previous molecular and genetic data implicate the c-myc gene as a critical downstream effector of the Wnt/TCF pathway in colon cancer. However, the involvement of c-myc in mammary epithelial cell transformation had not been explored. We recently showed that c-Myc induces a profound morphological transformation in human mammary epithelial cells accompanied by anchorage-independent growth. The mechanism of c-Myc transformation was revealed in part through the finding that, in contrast to colon cancer, c-Myc activates the Wnt pathway and endogenous TCF activity by suppressing the Wnt inhibitors DKK1 and SFRP1. Notably, DKK1 and SFRP1 were found to be strongly suppressed in human breast cancer cell lines and their re-expression inhibited the transformed phenotype. We demonstrated that breast cancer cells become dependent on repression of the Wnt inhibitors for cell proliferation, i.e. they have acquired an “oncogene addiction”, suggesting that the Myc-Wnt pathway is an attractive therapeutic target. We propose that a positive feedback loop of c-myc and Wnt signaling operates in breast cancer.     

Constitutively Nuclear FOXO3a Localization Predicts Poor Survival and Promotes Akt Phosphorylation in Breast Cancer

Background

The PI3K-Akt signal pathway plays a key role in tumorigenesis and the development of drug-resistance. Cytotoxic chemotherapy resistance is linked to limited therapeutic options and poor prognosis.

Methodology/Principal Findings

Examination of FOXO3a and phosphorylated-Akt (P-Akt) expression in breast cancer tissue microarrays showed nuclear FOXO3a was associated with lymph node positivity (p = 0.052), poor prognosis (p = 0.014), and P-Akt expression in invasive ductal carcinoma. Using tamoxifen and doxorubicin-sensitive and -resistant breast cancer cell lines as models, we found that doxorubicin- but not tamoxifen-resistance is associated with nuclear accumulation of FOXO3a, consistent with the finding that sustained nuclear FOXO3a is associated with poor prognosis. We also established that doxorubicin treatment induces proliferation arrest and FOXO3a nuclear relocation in sensitive breast cancer cells. Induction of FOXO3a activity in doxorubicin-sensitive MCF-7 cells was sufficient to promote Akt phosphorylation and arrest cell proliferation. Conversely, knockdown of endogenous FOXO3a expression reduced PI3K/Akt activity. Using MDA-MB-231 cells, in which FOXO3a activity can be induced by 4-hydroxytamoxifen, we showed that FOXO3a induction up-regulates PI3K-Akt activity and enhanced doxorubicin resistance. However FOXO3a induction has little effect on cell proliferation, indicating that FOXO3a or its downstream activity is deregulated in the cytotoxic drug resistant breast cancer cells. Thus, our results suggest that sustained FOXO3a activation can enhance hyperactivation of the PI3K/Akt pathway.

Conclusions/Significance

Together these data suggest that lymph node metastasis and poor survival in invasive ductal breast carcinoma are linked to an uncoupling of the Akt-FOXO3a signaling axis. In these breast cancers activated Akt fails to inactivate and re-localize FOXO3a to the cytoplasm, and nuclear-targeted FOXO3a does not induce cell death or cell cycle arrest. As such, sustained nuclear FOXO3a expression in breast cancer may culminate in cancer progression and the development of an aggressive phenotype similar to that observed in cytotoxic chemotherapy resistant breast cancer cell models.     

Soluble L1CAM promotes breast cancer cell adhesion and migration <Emphasis Type="Italic">in vitro</Emphasis>, but not invasion

Background  

Neural recognition molecule L1CAM, which is a key protein involved in early nervous system development, is known to be abnormally expressed and shed in several types of cancers where it participates in metastasis and progression. The distinction of L1CAM presence in cancerous vs. normal tissues has suggested it to be a new target for cancer treatment. Our current study focused on the potential role of soluble L1CAM in breast cancer cell adhesion to extracellular matrix proteins, migration, and invasion.