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Overexpression of periostin and distinct mesothelin forms predict malignant progression in a rat cholangiocarcinoma model.

ABSTRACT: Periostin and mesothelin have each been suggested to be predictors of poor survival for patients with intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma, although the clinical prognostic value of both of these biomarkers remains uncertain. The aim of the current study was to investigate these biomarkers for their potential to act as tumor progression factors when assessed in orthotopic tumor and three-dimensional culture models of rat cholangiocarcinoma progression. Using our orthotopic model, we demonstrated a strong positive correlation between tumor and serum periostin and mesothelin and increasing liver tumor mass and associated peritoneal metastases that also reflected differences in cholangiocarcinoma cell aggressiveness and malignant grade. Periostin immunostaining was most prominent in the desmoplastic stroma of larger sized more aggressive liver tumors and peritoneal metastases. In comparison, mesothelin was more highly expressed in the cholangiocarcinoma cells; the slower growing more highly differentiated liver tumors exhibited a luminal cancer cell surface immunostaining for this biomarker, and the rapidly growing less differentiated liver and metastatic tumor masses largely showed cytoplasmic mesothelin immunoreactivity. Two molecular weight forms of mesothelin were identified, one at ?40 kDa and the other, a more heavily glycosylated form, at ?50 kDa. Increased expression of the 40-kDa mesothelin over that of the 50 kDa form predicted increased malignant progression in both the orthotopic liver tumors and in cholangiocarcinoma cells of different malignant potential in three-dimensional culture. Moreover, coculturing of cancer-associated myofibroblasts with cholangiocarcinoma cells promoted overexpression of the 40-kDa mesothelin, which correlated with enhanced malignant progression in vitro. Conclusion: Periostin and mesothelin are useful predictors of tumor progression in our rat desmoplastic cholangiocarcinoma models. This supports their relevance to human intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma. (Hepatology Communications 2018;2:155-172).

SUBMITTER: Manzanares MA

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5796331 | biostudies-literature | 2018 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Overexpression of periostin and distinct mesothelin forms predict malignant progression in a rat cholangiocarcinoma model.

Manzanares Miguel Á MÁ Campbell Deanna J W DJW Maldonado Gabrielle T GT Sirica Alphonse E AE

Hepatology communications 20171218 2

Periostin and mesothelin have each been suggested to be predictors of poor survival for patients with intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma, although the clinical prognostic value of both of these biomarkers remains uncertain. The aim of the current study was to investigate these biomarkers for their potential to act as tumor progression factors when assessed in orthotopic tumor and three-dimensional culture models of rat cholangiocarcinoma progression. Using our orthotopic model, we demonstrated a st ...[more]

PMID: 29404524

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Project description:Periostin, a secreted matricellular protein, has been reported to induce epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT), which increases motility and invasiveness in various epithelial cancer cells. Periostin is also overexpressed in intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (ICC) and suggested to be a biomarker for tumor progression and poor prognosis; however, its functional role in ICC is not fully understood. Here, we investigated whether periostin influences malignant potential through the induction of EMT in ICC. Analyses of surgical resected ICC specimens revealed that the gene expression of periostin was significantly higher in ICC tumors than in adjacent nontumor liver tissues and was closely correlated with the expression of mesenchymal markers, including N-cadherin, vimentin, and fibronectin. However, the expression level of periostin varied in each case. Consistently, the expression of periostin in HuH28 (an undifferentiated ICC cell) was markedly higher than in HuCCT-1 (a moderately differentiated ICC cell). In addition, high-level secretion of periostin into culture media was observed in HuH28 but not in HuCCT-1. To identify the biological significance of periostin in EMT, gene silencing of periostin by small interfering RNA was performed in HuH28 cells. Periostin knockdown in HuH28 cells significantly down-regulated mesenchymal markers and up-regulated epithelial markers, suggesting the reversal of EMT, namely mesenchymal-epithelial transition. Along with these changes, cell proliferation was significantly suppressed by 52%. In addition, cell migration and invasion were significantly suppressed by 62% and 61%, respectively, with reduced gene expression of matrix metalloproteinase 2. Interestingly, chemosensitivity to gemcitabine was also significantly improved by periostin depletion. Conclusion: Periostin plays an important role in the regulation of malignant potential through EMT and is suggested to be a novel target for the treatment of ICC. (Hepatology Communications 2017;1:1099-1109).

Project description:Liver myofibroblasts are specialized effector cells that drive hepatic fibrosis, a hallmark process of chronic liver diseases, leading to progressive scar formation and organ failure. Liver myofibroblasts are increasingly recognized as heterogeneous with regards to their origin, phenotype, and functions. For instance, liver myofibroblasts express cell markers that are universally represented such as, Itg?V and Pdgfr?, or restricted to a given subpopulation such as, Lrat exclusively expressed in hepatic stellate cells, and Gpm6a in mesothelial cells. To study liver myofibroblasts in vitro, we have previously generated and characterized a SV40-immortalized polyclonal rat activated portal fibroblast cell line called RGF-N2 expressing multiple mesothelin mRNA transcripts. Mesothelin, a cell-surface molecule expressed in normal mesothelial cells and overexpressed in several cancers such as, mesothelioma and cholangiocarcinoma, was recently identified as a key regulator of portal myofibroblast proliferation, and fibrosis progression in the setting of chronic cholestatic liver disease. Here, we identify novel mesothelin splice variants expressed in rat activated portal fibroblasts. RGF-N2 portal fibroblast cDNA was used as template for insertion of hemagglutinin tag consensus sequence into the complete open reading frame of rat mesothelin variant coding sequences by extension PCR. Purified amplicons were subsequently cloned into an expression vector for in vitro translation and transfection in monkey COS7 fibroblasts, before characterization of fusion proteins by immunoblot and immunofluorescence. We show that rat activated portal fibroblasts, hepatic stellate cells, and cholangiocarcinoma cells express wild-type mesothelin and additional splice variants, while mouse activated hepatic stellate cells appear to only express wild-type mesothelin. Notably, rat mesothelin splice variants differ from the wild-type isoform by their protein properties and cellular distribution in transfected COS7 fibroblasts. We conclude that mesothelin is a marker of activated murine liver myofibroblasts. Mesothelin gene expression and regulation may be critical in liver myofibroblasts functions and fibrosis progression.

Project description:BACKGROUND: Fibroblasts play important roles in several cancers. It was hypothesized that cholangiocarcinoma (CCA)-associated fibroblasts (Cfs) differ from non-tumorigenic liver fibroblasts (Lfs) in their gene expression profiles resulting in the capability to promote cancer. Periostin (PN) is a multi-functional protein and has emerged as a promising marker for tumor progression. The role of PN in CCA, however, has not yet been explored. RESULTS: In this study, the gene expression profile of Cfs in comparison to Lfs was performed using oligonucleotide microarrays. The common- and unique-expressed genes in Cfs and the promising roles in cancer promotion and progression were determined. PN was markedly over-expressed in Cfs confirmed by real time RT-PCR and western blot analysis. Immunohistochemistry examination of a number of patients with intrahepatic CCA showed the expression of PN solely in stromal fibroblasts, but was expressed neither in cancer cells nor immune cells. Low to no expression of PN was observed in tissues of benign liver disease and hepatocellular carcinoma. CCA patients with high levels of PN had significantly shorter survival time than those with low levels (P = 0.026). Multivariate analysis revealed high levels of PN (P = 0.045) and presence of lymph node metastasis (P = 0.002) as independent poor prognostic factors. The in vitro study revealed that recombinant PN induced CCA cell proliferation and invasion. Interestingly, interference RNA against integrin alpha 5 significantly reduced the cellular response to PN-stimulated proliferation and invasion. CONCLUSION: The gene expression profile of fibroblasts in CCA is apparently explored for the first time and has determined the genes involving in induction of this cancer progression. High PN can be used to distinguish CCA from other related liver diseases and is proposed as a prognostic factor of poor survival. Regulation of fibroblast-derived PN in CCA proliferation and invasion may be considered as an alternative therapeutic approach.

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Overexpression of periostin and distinct mesothelin forms predict malignant progression in a rat cholangiocarcinoma model.

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Overexpression of periostin and distinct mesothelin forms predict malignant progression in a rat cholangiocarcinoma model.

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