Berberine Inhibits Glioma Cell Migration and Invasion by Suppressing TGF-β1/COL11A1 Pathway and Enhances Chemosensitivity

Background: The expression of collagen type XI alpha 1 chain (COL11A1) is up-regulated in many cancers, affecting the risk of metastasis, drug resistance, and poor prognosis. Berberine is an isoquinoline alkaloid present in many traditional Chinese medicines and it has been shown to reduce collagen accumulation in pulmonary fibrosis, diabetic nephropathy and arthritis. However, its effect on COL11A1 in glioma needs to be further elucidated.Methods: Western blot was performed to detect the expression level of COL11A1 in several glioma cells, and siCOL11A1 was performed to investigate the effect of COL11A1 on the migration and invasion ability of glioma cells. CCK-8, wound healing experiment and transwell experiment were performed to detect the effect of berberine on the proliferation, migration and invasion of glioma cells. The xenografts experiment in nude mice was performed to test the effect of berberine on inhibiting glioma in vivo.Results: Our results showed that COL11A1 is highly expressed in glioma cell lines and associated with migration, invasion, and chemoresistance of glioma cells. Knocking down COL11A1 caused decreased expression of MMPs, Snail, and MGMT. Berberine could inhibit the migration and invasion of glioma cells by suppressing the TGF-β1/COL11A1 pathway and changes actin cytoskeleton arrangement. In addition, berberine increased the chemosensitivity of glioma cells to temozolomide, which may be related to the down-regulation of Snail and MGMT proteins caused by berberine. High-throughput sequencing of xenografts in nude mice also showed that berberine inhibited the expression of COL11A1 in vivo.Conclusions: Our results suggest that berberine that targets COL11A1 to inhibit glioma migration, invasion and chemoresistance, may serve as a promising candidate for the development of anti-glioma drugs in the future.

miR-56a Mediates the Wnt/β-Catenin Pathway to Promote the Efficacy of Radiation on Glioma

Clarification of the miR-56a-mediated effect of Wnt/β-catenin pathway in glioma cells on radiosensitization. miRNA arrays were used to analyze the differential expression of miRNAs in biopsies from glioma patients. qRT-PCR to detect the levels of miR-56a and Wnt/β-catenin expressed in glioma cells and tissues. Evaluation of the impact of miR-56a on cell growth, invasion, and migrationforming ability by MTT assay and colony formation experiments. To analyze the involvement of miR-56a-mediated Wnt/β-catenin pathway in glioma biological processes and to examine the impact of miR-56a in glioma cell radiosensitivity. After miRNA array analysis, we found that miR-56a expression was significantly increased, and further studies showed that ectopic miR-56a expression in glial cells was sensitive to radiotherapy. miR-56a induction of Wnt/β-catenin promotes the upregulation of Parp in glioma cells. miR-56a can promote glioma cell migration and invasion in vitro as an important potential target for glioma disease.

MicroRNA-16 inhibits the migration and invasion of glioma cell by targeting Bcl-2 gene

Purpose: To investigate the effect of microRNA-16 (miR-16) on glioma cell migration and invasiveness, and the mechanism involved.Methods: MicroRNA-16 mimic or inhibitor was transfected into human glioma (SHG44) cells. Cell migration, invasiveness and morphology were determined using scratch test, Transwell invasion assay, and immunohistochemical staining, respectively. Expressions of bcl-2, MMP-9 and MMP-2, and NF-κB1 proteins were measured using Western blotting.Results: Overexpression of MicroRNA-16 significantly down-regulated MMP-9 protein in SHG44 cells (p < 0.05), but MMP-2 protein expressions in the 2 groups were comparable (p > 0.05). Protein expressions of MMP-9 and NF-κB1 were significantly down-regulated in human glioma positive cells, relative to negative control.Conclusion: MiR-16 overexpression suppresses the migration and invasiveness of SHG44 cells via the regulation of NF-κB1/MMP-9 signaling pathway, and it directly targets bcl-2 gene by inhibiting its protein expression. This finding affords a new target for developing new anti-glioma drugs. Keywords: Bcl-2, Expression, Glioma, MicroRNA-16, NF-κB1signaling pathway

Targeting Aryl Hydrocarbon Receptor with small molecule, 1′H-indole-3′-carbonyl-thiazole-4-carboxylic acid methyl ester blocked human glioma cell invasion via MYH9

Aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AHR) was a master regulator of anti-tumor cell migration in various cell types. Whether and how AHR regulates glioma cell migration is largely unknown. We found that small molecule 2-(1′H-indole-3′-carbonyl)-thiazole-4-carboxylic acid methyl ester (ITE), an endogenous AHR ligand, can significantly block glioma cell migration and invasion in vitro, ex vivo and in vivo. Knocking down AHR by siRNA abolished ITE’s migration-inhibiting effects. ITE increased the number of filopodia-like protrusion formation, but reduced protrusion attachment to the extracellular matrix, and inhibited the rear retraction of migrating glioma cells. Moreover, both mesenchymal and amoeboid migrating cells were observed in the DMSO control group while none of the cells display amoeboid migration in the ITE treated group. MYH9 was significantly reduced by ITE treatment in human glioma cells. Over-expression of MYH9 abrogated ITE’s migration-inhibiting effects, with the expression level of MYH9 correlated with cell migration ability. Since MYH9 is a component of non-muscle myosin IIA (NMIIA), which is essential for cell migration in 3D confined space, and not a discovered target of AHR, the fact that ITE affects MYH9 via AHR opens a new research and development avenue.