Dataset Information

JWA loss promotes cell migration and cytoskeletal rearrangement by affecting HER2 expression and identifies a high-risk subgroup of HER2-positive gastric carcinoma patients.

ABSTRACT:

Background and aims

JWA, a microtubule-associated protein (MAP) involved in apoptosis, has been identified as a suppressor of metastasis, and it affects cell migration in melanoma and its downregulation in tumor is an idependent negative prognostic factor in resectable gastric cancer. HER2 overexpression has been observed in gastric cancer (GC) cells and implicated in the metastatic phenotype. However, the biological role of JWA in migration and its clinical value in HER2-positive GC remain elusive.

Results

JWA suppresses EGF-induced cell migration and actin cytoskeletal rearrangement by abrogating HER2 expression and downstream PI3K/AKT signaling in HER2-overexpressing GC cell lines. The modulation of HER2 by JWA is dependent on ERK activation and consequent PEA3 upregulation and activation. Reduced JWA expression is associated with high HER2 expression and with poor survival in patients with AGC, whereas HER2 expression alone is not associated with survival. However, concomitant low JWA and high HER2 expression is associated with unfavorable outcomes. Additionally, when patients were stratified by JWA expression, those with higher HER2 expression in the low JWA expression subgroup exhibited worse survival.

Methods

The impact of JWA on the EGF-induced migration of HER2-positive GC cells was studied using transwell assays and G-LISA assays. Western blotting, real-time PCR, electrophoretic mobility shift assays and luciferase assays were utilized to investigate the mechanisms by which JWA affects HER2. The association of JWA with HER2 and its clinical value were further analyzed by IHC in 128 pairs of advanced gastric cancer (AGC) and adjacent normal tissue samples.

Conclusions

This study characterizes a novel mechanism for regulating cell motility in HER2-overexpressing GC cells involving JWA-mediated MEK/ERK/PEA3 signaling activation and HER2 downregulation. Furthermore, JWA may be a useful prognostic indicator for advanced GC and may help stratify HER2-positive patient subgroups to better identify unfavorable outcomes.

SUBMITTER: Qian J

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5095045 | biostudies-literature | 2016 Jun

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Publications

JWA loss promotes cell migration and cytoskeletal rearrangement by affecting HER2 expression and identifies a high-risk subgroup of HER2-positive gastric carcinoma patients.

Qian Jing J Zhu Weiyou W Wang Keming K Ma Lin L Xu Jin J Xu Tongpeng T Røe Oluf Dimitri OD Li Aiping A Zhou Jianwei J Shu Yongqian Y

Oncotarget 20160601 24

<h4>Background and aims</h4>JWA, a microtubule-associated protein (MAP) involved in apoptosis, has been identified as a suppressor of metastasis, and it affects cell migration in melanoma and its downregulation in tumor is an idependent negative prognostic factor in resectable gastric cancer. HER2 overexpression has been observed in gastric cancer (GC) cells and implicated in the metastatic phenotype. However, the biological role of JWA in migration and its clinical value in HER2-positive GC rem ...[more]

PMID: 27167206

Similar Datasets

Project description:BACKGROUND:HER2-positive gastric cancer (GC) affects 7%-34% of patients with GC. Trastuzumab-based first-line treatment has become the standard of care for HER2-positive advanced gastric cancer (AGC). However, there are no clinically validated biomarkers for resistance to HER2-targeted therapies. Upregulation of PI3K pathway and tyrosine kinase receptor (TKR) alterations have been noted as molecular mechanisms of resistance in breast cancer. Our study aimed to perform a molecular characterization of HER2-positive AGC and investigate the role of PI3K/Akt/mTOR signaling pathway activation and TKR gene copy number (GCN) gains as predictive biomarkers in HER2-positive AGC treated with trastuzumab. PATIENTS AND METHODS:Forty-two HER2-positive GC samples from patients treated with trastuzumab-based first-line chemotherapy were selected. DNA samples were sequenced. PTEN and MET immunohistochemistry were also performed. RESULTS:Concurrent genetic alterations were detected in 97.1% of HER2-positive AGC. We found activation of PI3K/Akt/mTOR pathway in 52.4% of patients and TKR GCN gains in 38.1%. TKR GCN gains did not correlate with overall survival (OS) or progression-free survival (PFS). Multivariate Cox models showed that PI3K/Akt/mTOR activation negatively affects the effectiveness of trastuzumab-based chemotherapy in terms of OS and PFS. CONCLUSION:Our results provide for the first time a detailed molecular profile of concurrent genetic alterations in HER2-positive AGC. PI3K pathway activation could be used as a predictive marker of worse outcome in this patient population. In addition, gains in copy number of other TKR genes in this subgroup may also influence the survival benefit obtained with trastuzumab. IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE:This article reports, for the first time, a detailed molecular profile of genomic alterations in patients with HER2-positive advanced gastric cancer (AGC). PI3K/Akt/mTOR signaling pathway activation seems to have a differentially negative effect on overall survival and progression-free survival in AGC treated with trastuzumab-based chemotherapy. Combining different targeted agents could be a successful therapeutic strategy to improve the prognosis of HER2-positive AGC.

Dataset Information

JWA loss promotes cell migration and cytoskeletal rearrangement by affecting HER2 expression and identifies a high-risk subgroup of HER2-positive gastric carcinoma patients.

Background and aims

Results

Methods

Conclusions

Publications

JWA loss promotes cell migration and cytoskeletal rearrangement by affecting HER2 expression and identifies a high-risk subgroup of HER2-positive gastric carcinoma patients.

Similar Datasets

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