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Neuron specific enolase promotes tumor metastasis by activating the Wnt/β-catenin pathway in small cell lung cancer.

ABSTRACT: Neuron-specific enolase (NSE) has been used as a specific biomarker for small cell lung cancer (SCLC) patients. Nevertheless, the biological function and mechanism of NSE in SCLC are still unclear. In this study, we clarified the role of NSE in the progression of SCLC and found that NSE expression was positively correlated with distant metastasis. Functional analysis showed that overexpression of NSE promoted migration and invasion of SCLC cells. Mechanism analysis showed that NSE overexpression induced epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) of SCLC cells. Moreover, overexpression of NSE increased the protein expression of β-catenin and its downstream target genes, and silencing β-catenin eliminated NSE-mediated cell migration, invasion and EMT process. Furthermore, NSE interacted with β-catenin and inhibited the degradation of β-catenin. Besides, the animal experiments also indicated that NSE could promote the EMT process and distant metastasis of SCLC cells in vivo. In summary, our results revealed that NSE could promote the EMT process of SCLC cells by activating the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway, thereby promoting cell migration, invasion and distant metastasis, which might serve as a potential target for the therapy of SCLC patients.

SUBMITTER: Zha Z

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7905480 | biostudies-literature | 2021 Apr

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Neuron specific enolase promotes tumor metastasis by activating the Wnt/β-catenin pathway in small cell lung cancer.

Zha Zhiqiang Z Li Dailing D Zhang Peiling P Wang Peipei P Fang Xisheng X Liu Xia X Weng Chengyin C Li Baoxiu B Wu Yong Y Mao Haibo H Wang Lina L Xu Lin L Dong Jiaming J Guan Mingmei M Lu Lin L Liu Guolong G

Translational oncology 20210219 4

Neuron-specific enolase (NSE) has been used as a specific biomarker for small cell lung cancer (SCLC) patients. Nevertheless, the biological function and mechanism of NSE in SCLC are still unclear. In this study, we clarified the role of NSE in the progression of SCLC and found that NSE expression was positively correlated with distant metastasis. Functional analysis showed that overexpression of NSE promoted migration and invasion of SCLC cells. Mechanism analysis showed that NSE overexpression ...[more]

PMID: 33618068

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Project description:Breast cancer has become the malignant disease with the highest morbidity and mortality among female cancer patients. The prognosis of metastatic breast cancer is very poor, and the therapeutic effects still need to be improved. The molecular mechanism of breast cancer has not been fully clarified. Bioinformatics analysis was used to find the differentially expressed gene that affects the occurrence and development of breast cancer. Furthermore, scratch assays, Transwell assays, immunofluorescence, and Western blotting were used to determine the biological behavior of breast cancer cells affected by DEP domain-containing protein 1B (DEPDC1B). The molecular mechanism was investigated by mass spectrometry analysis, coimmunoprecipitation, and ubiquitin assays. Here, we found that DEPDC1B was highly expressed in breast cancer cells and tissues and was associated with lower overall survival (OS) in patients. We found that DEPDC1B interference significantly inhibited tumor invasion and migration in vitro and tumor metastasis in vivo. Mechanistically, DEPDC1B was first shown to activate the wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway as an oncogene in breast cancer cells. In addition, we also confirmed the interaction between DEPDC1B, ubiquitin-specific protease 5 (USP5), and β-catenin. Then, we found that DEPDC1B mediates the deubiquitination of β-catenin via USP5, which promotes cell invasion and migration. Our findings provide new insights into the carcinogenic mechanism of DEPDC1B, suggesting that DEPDC1B can be considered a potential therapeutic target for breast cancer.NEW & NOTEWORTHY By using bioinformatics analysis and the experimental techniques of cell biology and molecular biology, we found that DEP domain-containing protein 1B (DEPDC1B) can promote the invasion and migration of breast cancer cells and that DEPDC1B mediates the deubiquitination of β-catenin by ubiquitin-specific protease 5 (USP5), thus activating the wnt/β-catenin pathway. Our findings provide new insights into the carcinogenic mechanism of DEPDC1B, suggesting that DEPDC1B can be used as a potential therapeutic target for breast cancer.

Project description:BackgroundWnt2 is overexpressed and able to promote tumorigenesis in many types of cancer. However, its expression and role in lung cancer has not been well clarified yet. In this study, we aims to investigate the expression pattern, clinical significance and the underlying molecular mechanism of Wnt2 in non-small lung cancer (NSCLC).MethodsImmunohistochemical staining and ELISA assays were applied to detect Wnt2 level in tumor tissue and serum. EDU incorporation assays and colony formation assays were used to evaluate the growth-promoting effect of Wnt2 in vitro. Then we performed western blot and immunofluorescence assays to detect the activation of WNT signaling pathway. Finally mice engrafted with NSCLC tumor cells were used to assess the role of Wnt2 in vivo.ResultsImmunohistochemical staining consisting of 264 NSCLC tumor tissues showed that a high level of Wnt2 was associated with a poor overall survival (OS) and relapse-free survival (RFS) of NSCLC patients (P = 0.002 and 0.0005, respectively). Multivariate analysis presented that Wnt2 level in tumor tissue was an independent prognostic factor (P = 0.049 for OS and P = 0.002 for RFS, respectively). Furthermore, ELISA assays for 181 individuals (116 NSCLC and 65 controls) revealed that serum Wnt2 levels in adenocarcinoma was significantly higher than that in healthy volunteers (P < 0.0001). In vitro H460 cell line stably overexpressing Wnt2 showed enhanced growth activity than the control cells whereas knockdown of Wnt2 by siRNA in H1299 cells resulted in decreased growth activity. Additionally, Wnt2 level in tumor tissues was significantly associated with Ki-67 level (rs: 0.316; P < 0.0001). Immunofluorescence and Western blot assays detected the translocation of β-catenin from cytoplasm into nucleus, which indicated that Wnt2 probably promotes proliferation by activating WNT/β-catenin pathway. In vivo H460 cells expressing exogenous Wnt2 showed increased growth-promoting effect in Balb/c nude mice than control cells.ConclusionsThe present study for the first time suggested that Wnt2 was both a prognostic and a diagnostic biomarker for NSCLC. Tumor-derived Wnt2 can promote growth activity of NSCLC cells through activating WNT/β-catenin signaling pathway.

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Project description:BackgroundThe expression of forkhead box protein H1 (FOXH1) is frequently upregulated in various cancers. However, the molecular mechanisms underlying the association between FOXH1 expression and lung cancer progression still remain poorly understood. Thus, the main objective of this study is to explore the role of FOXH1 in lung cancer.MethodsThe Cancer Genome Atlas dataset was used to investigate FOXH1 expression in lung cancer tissues, and the Kaplan-Meier plotter dataset was used to determine the role of FOXH1 in patient prognosis. A549 and PC9 cells were transfected with short hairpin RNA targeting FOXH1 mRNA. The Cell Counting Kit-8, colony formation, soft agar, wound healing, transwell invasion and flow cytometry assays were performed to evaluate proliferation, migration and invasion of lung cancer cells. Tumorigenicity was examined in a BALB/c nude mice model. Western blot analysis was performed to assess the molecular mechanisms, and β-catenin activity was measured by a luciferase reporter system assay.ResultsHigher expression level of FOXH1 was observed in tumor tissue than in normal tissue, and this was associated with poor overall survival. Knockdown of FOXH1 significantly inhibited lung cancer cell proliferation, migration, invasion, and cycle. In addition, the mouse xenograft model showed that knockdown of FOXH1 suppressed tumor growth in vivo. Further experiments revealed that FOXH1 depletion inhibited the epithelial-mesenchymal transition of lung cancer cells by downregulating the expression of mesenchymal markers (Snail, Slug, matrix metalloproteinase-2, N-cadherin, and Vimentin) and upregulating the expression of an epithelial marker (E-cadherin). Moreover, knockdown of FOXH1 significantly downregulated the activity of β-catenin and its downstream targets, p-GSK-3β and cyclin D1.ConclusionFOXH1 exerts oncogenic functions in lung cancer through regulation of the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway. FOXH1 might be a potential therapeutic target for patients with certain types of lung cancer.

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Neuron specific enolase promotes tumor metastasis by activating the Wnt/β-catenin pathway in small cell lung cancer.

Publications

Neuron specific enolase promotes tumor metastasis by activating the Wnt/β-catenin pathway in small cell lung cancer.

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