scholarly journals Ubiquitin-Specific Peptidase 22 Contributes to Colorectal Cancer Stemness and Chemoresistance via Wnt/β-Catenin Pathway

2018 ◽  
Vol 46 (4) ◽  
pp. 1412-1422 ◽  
Author(s):  
Shixiong Jiang ◽  
Chenxin Song ◽  
Xinyu Gu ◽  
Muhong Wang ◽  
Dazhuang Miao ◽  
...  

Background/Aims: Two major barriers to the successful treatment of colorectal cancer (CRC) are the development of stem cell-like characteristics (stemness) and chemoresistance. Ubiquitin-specific peptidase 22 (USP22) is a deubiquitinating enzyme and putative CRC marker that has emerged as a potential cause of both phenomena in CRC. There is evidence that USP22 acts through the Wnt/β-catenin pathway and that downregulation of the latter may reduce chemoresistance. Methods: In this study, we used CRC tissue specimens from human patients as well as human CRC cell lines to evaluate the role of USP22 in CRC stemness and chemoresistance in vitro and in vivo. RT-PCR and western blot were used for gene expression analyses. Immunohistochemistry was performed for USP22 expression in clinical samples. CD133 levels were analyzed by flow cytometry. Sphere formation and MTT assays were used for self-renewal and proliferation analysis. Chemoresistance was evaluated by cell viability and sphere formation assays. Results: We found a significant increase of USP22 in recurrent CRC and chemoresistant CRC cells as compared to primary CRC and non-chemoresistant CRC cells, respectively. We then demonstrated that USP22 mediates CRC cell chemoresistance through the Wnt/β-catenin pathway and that reducing USP22 in CRC cells diminishes chemoresistance. Conclusions: Having established the crucial role of USP22 in CRC stemness and chemoresistance, this study suggests that USP22 may be an ideal genetic target in the treatment of chemoresistant CRC.

2021 ◽  
Vol 21 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Zijian Li ◽  
Min Feng ◽  
Jie Zhang ◽  
Xingzhou Wang ◽  
En Xu ◽  
...  

Abstract Background WD40 repeat (WDR)43 is an RNA-binding protein that belongs to the WDR domain protein family. Its biological function is largely unclear, particularly in colorectal cancer (CRC). Methods In the present study, we searched the TCGA database and found the correlation between WDR43 and CRC. Subsequently, the high expression of WDR43 in human clinical samples of CRC was validated and we further examined the biological functions of it in CRC cells. Finally, we explored potential downstream proteins or pathways and established subcutaneous xenograft model to verify our findings. Results Immunohistochemistry of 16 patient specimens confirmed that the expression of WDR43 was elevated in CRC. WDR43 knockdown was shown to increase apoptosis and inhibit the proliferation, migration and invasion of CRC cells in vitro and reduce tumorigenesis in animal models. In addition, it was found that WDR43 knockdown inhibited vimentin (VIM) expression in CRC cells and overexpression of VIM can partially reverse the effects of WDR43 both in vitro and in vivo. Conclusion In conclusion, the role of WDR43 in the occurrence and development of CRC was investigated in the present study. WDR43 may serve as a valuable biomarker and provide new options for the diagnosis and treatment of colorectal cancer.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Zijian Li ◽  
Min Feng ◽  
Jie Zhang ◽  
Xingzhou Wang ◽  
En Xu ◽  
...  

Abstract BackgroundWD40 repeat (WDR)43 is an RNA-binding protein that belongs to the WDR domain protein family. Its biological function is largely unclear, particularly in colorectal cancer (CRC). MethodsIn the present study, we searched the TCGA database and found the correlation between WDR43 and CRC. Subsequently,the high expression of WDR43 in human clinical samples of CRC was validated and we further examined the biological functions of it in CRC cells.Finally,we explored potential downstream proteins or pathways and established subcutaneous xenograft model to verify our findings.ResultsImmunohistochemistry of 16 patient specimens confirmed that the expression of WDR43 was elevated in CRC. WDR43 knockdown was shown to increase apoptosis and inhibit the proliferation, migration and invasion of CRC cells in vitro and reduce tumorigenesis in animal models.In addition, it was found that WDR43 knockdown inhibited vimentin (VIM) expression in CRC cells and overexpression of VIM can partially reverse the effects of WDR43 both in vitro and in vivo. ConclusionIn conclusion, the role of WDR43 in the occurrence and development of CRC was investigated in the present study. WDR43 may serve as a valuable biomarker and provide new options for the diagnosis and treatment of colorectal cancer.


Author(s):  
Hengyang Shen ◽  
Changzhi Huang ◽  
Jingyu Wu ◽  
Jie Li ◽  
Tao Hu ◽  
...  

The complex in which scribble planar cell polarity protein (SCRIB) is located is one of the three main polar protein complexes that play an important role in maintaining epithelial polarity and affecting tumour growth. However, the role of SCRIB in colorectal cancer (CRC) remains largely unknown. This study used date from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) and clinical samples to determine the expression of SCRIB in CRC and explored its mechanism through bioinformatics analysis and in vivo and in vitro experiments. In this study, SCRIB was found to be highly expressed in CRC patients, and it was often associated with malignant characteristics, such as proliferation, apoptosis, and epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT). Furthermore, we found that SCRIB may interact with the Hippo signalling pathway and affect the phosphorylation of YAP and its distribution inside and outside of the nucleus. We concluded that increased expression of SCRIB is likely to inhibit the Hippo signalling pathway by promoting YAP phosphorylation. This role of SCRIB in the progression of CRC provides an important information for the treatment of CRC.


Author(s):  
Zizhen Si ◽  
Lei Yu ◽  
Haoyu Jing ◽  
Lun Wu ◽  
Xidi Wang

Abstract Background Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNA) are reported to influence colorectal cancer (CRC) progression. Currently, the functions of the lncRNA ZNF561 antisense RNA 1 (ZNF561-AS1) in CRC are unknown. Methods ZNF561-AS1 and SRSF6 expression in CRC patient samples and CRC cell lines was evaluated through TCGA database analysis, western blot along with real-time PCR. SRSF6 expression in CRC cells was also examined upon ZNF561-AS1 depletion or overexpression. Interaction between miR-26a-3p, miR-128-5p, ZNF561-AS1, and SRSF6 was examined by dual luciferase reporter assay, as well as RNA binding protein immunoprecipitation (RIP) assay. Small interfering RNA (siRNA) mediated knockdown experiments were performed to assess the role of ZNF561-AS1 and SRSF6 in the proliferative actives and apoptosis rate of CRC cells. A mouse xenograft model was employed to assess tumor growth upon ZNF561-AS1 knockdown and SRSF6 rescue. Results We find that ZNF561-AS1 and SRSF6 were upregulated in CRC patient tissues. ZNF561-AS1 expression was reduced in tissues from treated CRC patients but upregulated in CRC tissues from relapsed patients. SRSF6 expression was suppressed and enhanced by ZNF561-AS1 depletion and overexpression, respectively. Mechanistically, ZNF561-AS1 regulated SRSF6 expression by sponging miR-26a-3p and miR-128-5p. ZNF561-AS1-miR-26a-3p/miR-128-5p-SRSF6 axis was required for CRC proliferation and survival. ZNF561-AS1 knockdown suppressed CRC cell proliferation and triggered apoptosis. ZNF561-AS1 depletion suppressed the growth of tumors in a model of a nude mouse xenograft. Similar observations were made upon SRSF6 depletion. SRSF6 overexpression reversed the inhibitory activities of ZNF561-AS1 in vivo, as well as in vitro. Conclusion In summary, we find that ZNF561-AS1 promotes CRC progression via the miR-26a-3p/miR-128-5p-SRSF6 axis. This study reveals new perspectives into the role of ZNF561-AS1 in CRC.


Author(s):  
Jun-Xian Du ◽  
Yi-Hong Luo ◽  
Si-Jia Zhang ◽  
Biao Wang ◽  
Cong Chen ◽  
...  

Abstract Background Intensive evidence has highlighted the effect of aberrant alternative splicing (AS) events on cancer progression when triggered by dysregulation of the SR protein family. Nonetheless, the underlying mechanism in breast cancer (BRCA) remains elusive. Here we sought to explore the molecular function of SRSF1 and identify the key AS events regulated by SRSF1 in BRCA. Methods We conducted a comprehensive analysis of the expression and clinical correlation of SRSF1 in BRCA based on the TCGA dataset, Metabric database and clinical tissue samples. Functional analysis of SRSF1 in BRCA was conducted in vitro and in vivo. SRSF1-mediated AS events and their binding motifs were identified by RNA-seq, RNA immunoprecipitation-PCR (RIP-PCR) and in vivo crosslinking followed by immunoprecipitation (CLIP), which was further validated by the minigene reporter assay. PTPMT1 exon 3 (E3) AS was identified to partially mediate the oncogenic role of SRSF1 by the P-AKT/C-MYC axis. Finally, the expression and clinical significance of these AS events were validated in clinical samples and using the TCGA database. Results SRSF1 expression was consistently upregulated in BRCA samples, positively associated with tumor grade and the Ki-67 index, and correlated with poor prognosis in a hormone receptor-positive (HR+) cohort, which facilitated proliferation, cell migration and inhibited apoptosis in vitro and in vivo. We identified SRSF1-mediated AS events and discovered the SRSF1 binding motif in the regulation of splice switching of PTPMT1. Furthermore, PTPMT1 splice switching was regulated by SRSF1 by binding directly to its motif in E3 which partially mediated the oncogenic role of SRSF1 by the AKT/C-MYC axis. Additionally, PTPMT1 splice switching was validated in tissue samples of BRCA patients and using the TCGA database. The high-risk group, identified by AS of PTPMT1 and expression of SRSF1, possessed poorer prognosis in the stage I/II TCGA BRCA cohort. Conclusions SRSF1 exerts oncogenic roles in BRCA partially by regulating the AS of PTPMT1, which could be a therapeutic target candidate in BRCA and a prognostic factor in HR+ BRCA patient.


2021 ◽  
Vol 12 (5) ◽  
Author(s):  
Lan Jin ◽  
Yunhe Chen ◽  
Dan Cheng ◽  
Zhikai He ◽  
Xinyi Shi ◽  
...  

AbstractColorectal cancer (CRC) is one of the most aggressive and lethal cancers. The role of autophagy in the pathobiology of CRC is intricate, with opposing functions manifested in different cellular contexts. The Yes-associated protein (YAP), a transcriptional coactivator inactivated by the Hippo tumor-suppressor pathway, functions as an oncoprotein in a variety of cancers. In this study, we found that YAP could negatively regulate autophagy in CRC cells, and consequently, promote tumor progression of CRC in vitro and in vivo. Mechanistically, YAP interacts with TEAD forming a complex to upregulate the transcription of the apoptosis-inhibitory protein Bcl-2, which may subsequently facilitate cell survival by suppressing autophagy-related cell death; silencing Bcl-2 expression could alleviate YAP-induced autophagy inhibition without affecting YAP expression. Collectively, our data provide evidence for YAP/Bcl-2 as a potential therapeutic target for drug exploration against CRC.


2021 ◽  
Vol 16 (1) ◽  
pp. 523-536
Author(s):  
Minghao Li ◽  
Jianbin Zhuang ◽  
Di Kang ◽  
Yuzhuo Chen ◽  
Weiliang Song

Abstract Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the third most common malignancy worldwide. Circular RNAs (circRNAs) have been implicated in cancer biology. The purpose of the current work is to investigate the precise parts of circRNA centrosome and spindle pole-associated protein 1 (circ-CSPP1) in the progression of CRC. Our data showed that circ-CSPP1 was significantly overexpressed in CRC tissues and cells. The knockdown of circ-CSPP1 attenuated cell proliferation, migration, invasion and promoted apoptosis in vitro and weakened tumor growth in vivo. circ-CSPP1 directly targeted miR-431, and circ-CSPP1 knockdown modulated CRC cell progression in vitro via upregulating miR-431. Moreover, LIM and SH3 protein 1 (LASP1) was a functional target of miR-431 in modulating CRC cell malignant progression. Furthermore, circ-CSPP1 in CRC cells functioned as a posttranscriptional regulator on LASP1 expression by targeting miR-431. Our present study identified the oncogenic role of circ-CSPP1 in CRC partially by the modulation of the miR-431/LASP1 axis, providing evidence for circ-CSPP1 as a promising biomarker for CRC management.


Author(s):  
Xiong Shu ◽  
Pan-Pan Zhan ◽  
Li-Xin Sun ◽  
Long Yu ◽  
Jun Liu ◽  
...  

BackgroundFocusing on antiangiogenesis may provide promising choices for treatment of gastric cancer (GC). This study aimed to investigate the mechanistic role of BCAT1 in the pathogenesis of GC, particularly in angiogenesis.MethodsBioinformatics and clinical samples analysis were used to investigate the expression and potential mechanism of BCAT1 in GC. BGC823 cells with BCAT1 overexpression or silencing were induced by lentiviral transduction. Cell phenotypes and angiogenesis were evaluated. The relevant proteins were quantized by Western blotting, immunohistochemistry, or immunofluorescence. Xenograft models were constructed to confirm the role of BCAT1 in vivo.ResultsBCAT1 was overexpressed in GC patients and associated with lower survival. BCAT1 expression was correlated with proliferation-, invasion-, or angiogenesis-related markers expression and pathways. Silencing BCAT1 expression suppressed cell viability, colony formation, cycle progression, invasion, and angiogenesis of BGC823 cells, as well as the tumor growth of xenograft models, whereas overexpressing BCAT1 had the opposite results both in vitro and in vivo. Bioinformatics analysis and Western blotting demonstrated that BCAT1 activated the PI3K/AKT/mTOR pathway. The addition of LY294002 reversed the tumor growth induced by BCAT1 overexpression, further verifying this mechanism.ConclusionBCAT1 might act as an oncogene by facilitating proliferation, invasion, and angiogenesis through activation of the PI3K/AKT/mTOR pathway. This finding could aid the optimization of antiangiogenesis strategies.


2018 ◽  
Vol 46 (2) ◽  
pp. 829-846 ◽  
Author(s):  
Fang Wei ◽  
Tong Zhang ◽  
Zhi Yang ◽  
Jian-Chang Wei ◽  
Hong-Fen Shen ◽  
...  

Background/Aims: Gambogic acid (GA), the main active compound of Gamboge hanburyi, has been reported to be a potential novel antitumor drug. Whether GA inhibits putative cancer stem cells (CSCs), which are considered to be the major cause of cancer treatment failure, remains largely unknown. This study investigated whether GA inhibits the CSCs of colorectal cancer (CRC) and its possible mechanisms. Methods: We performed CCK8 and tumor sphere formation assays, percentage analysis of both side population and CD133+CD44+ cells, and the detection of stem cells markers, in order to assess the role of GA in inhibiting the stem celllike features of CRC. An mRNA microarray was performed to identify the downstream gene affected by GA and rescue assays were performed to further clarify whether the downstream gene is involved in the GA induced decrease of the stem cell-like CRC population. CRC cells were engineered with a CSC detector vector encoding GFP and luciferase (Luc) under the control of the Nanog promoter, which were utilized to investigate the effect of GA on putative CSC in human tumor xenograft-bearing mice using in vivo bioluminescence imaging. Results: Our results showed that GA significantly reduced tumor sphere formation and the percentages of side population and CD133+CD44+ cells, while also decreasing the expression of stemness and EMT-associated markers in CRC cells in vitro. GA killed stem-like CRC cells by upregulating the expression of ZFP36, which is dependent on the inactivation of the EGFR/ ERK signaling pathway. GFP+ cells harboring the PNanog-GFP-T2A-Luc transgene exhibited CSC characteristics. The in vivo results showed that GA significantly inhibited tumor growth in nude mice, accompanied by a remarkable reduction in the putative CSC number, based on whole-body bioluminescence imaging. Conclusion: These findings suggest that GA significantly inhibits putative CSCs of CRC both in vitro and in vivo by inhibiting the activation of the EGFR/ ERK/ZFP36 signaling pathway and may be an effective drug candidate for anticancer therapies.


Cancers ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 11 (4) ◽  
pp. 587 ◽  
Author(s):  
Matilda Munksgaard Thorén ◽  
Katarzyna Chmielarska Masoumi ◽  
Cecilia Krona ◽  
Xiaoli Huang ◽  
Soumi Kundu ◽  
...  

New, effective treatment strategies for glioblastomas (GBMs), the most malignant and invasive brain tumors in adults, are highly needed. In this study, we investigated the potential of integrin α10β1 as a therapeutic target in GBMs. Expression levels and the role of integrin α10β1 were studied in patient-derived GBM tissues and cell lines. The effect of an antibody–drug conjugate (ADC), an integrin α10 antibody conjugated to saporin, on GBM cells and in a xenograft mouse model was studied. We found that integrin α10β1 was strongly expressed in both GBM tissues and cells, whereas morphologically unaffected brain tissues showed only minor expression. Partial or no overlap was seen with integrins α3, α6, and α7, known to be expressed in GBM. Further analysis of a subpopulation of GBM cells selected for high integrin α10 expression demonstrated increased proliferation and sphere formation. Additionally, siRNA-mediated knockdown of integrin α10 in GBM cells led to decreased migration and increased cell death. Furthermore, the ADC reduced viability and sphere formation of GBM cells and induced cell death both in vitro and in vivo. Our results demonstrate that integrin α10β1 has a functional role in GBM cells and is a novel, potential therapeutic target for the treatment of GBM.


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