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E-cadherin re-expression shows in vivo evidence for mesenchymal to epithelial transition in clonal metastatic breast tumor cells

ABSTRACT: Substantial experimental evidence has shown that dedifferentiation from an epithelial state to a mesenchymal-like state (EMT) drives tumor cell metastasis. This transition facilitates tumor cells to acquire motility and invasive features. Intriguingly, tumor cells at the metastatic site are primarily epithelial, and it is believed that they re-differentiate back to an epithelial state by a process called mesenchymal to epithelial transition (MET). However, there is little in vivo evidence to support the MET process. In this study we show that clonal epithelial tumor cells undergo EMT (including loss of E-cadherin expression) in the primary tumor over time. At the metastatic site the cells show evidence of MET by re-expression of E-cadherin.

ORGANISM(S): Mus musculus

PROVIDER: GSE81033 | GEO | 2017/02/09

SECONDARY ACCESSION(S): PRJNA320319

REPOSITORIES: GEO

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Project description:Background Oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC), an HPV-negative head and neck cancer, frequently metastasizes to the regional lymph nodes but only occasionally beyond. Initial phases of metastasis are associated with an epithelial–mesenchymal transition (EMT), while the consolidation phase is associated with mesenchymal–epithelial transition (MET). This dynamic is referred to as epithelial–mesenchymal plasticity (EMP). While it is known that EMP is essential for cancer cell invasion and metastatic spread, less is known about the heterogeneity of EMP states and even less about the heterogeneity between primary and metastatic lesions. Methods To assess both the heterogeneity of EMP states in OSCC cells and their effects on stromal cells, we performed single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNAseq) of 5 primary tumors, 9 matching metastatic and 5 tumor-free lymph nodes and re-analyzed publicly available scRNAseq data of 9 additional primary tumors. For examining the cell type composition, we performed bulk transcriptome sequencing. Protein expression of selected genes were confirmed by immunohistochemistry. Results From the 23 OSCC lesions, the single cell transcriptomes of a total of 7263 carcinoma cells were available for in-depth analyses. We initially focused on one lesion to avoid confounding inter-patient heterogeneity and identified OSCC cells expressing genes characteristic of different epithelial and partial EMT stages. RNA velocity and the increase in inferred copy number variations indicated a progressive trajectory towards epithelial differentiation in this metastatic lesion, i.e., cells likely underwent MET. Extension to all samples revealed a less stringent but essentially similar pattern. Interestingly, MET cells show increased activity of the EMT-activator ZEB1. Immunohistochemistry confirmed that ZEB1 was co-expressed with the epithelial marker cornifin B in individual tumor cells. The lack of E-cadherin mRNA expression suggests this is a partial MET. Within the tumor microenvironment we found immunomodulating fibroblasts that were maintained in primary and metastatic OSCC. Conclusions This study reveals that EMP enables different partial EMT and epithelial phenotypes of OSCC cells, which are endowed with capabilities essential for the different stages of the metastatic process, including maintenance of cellular integrity. During MET, ZEB1 appears to be functionally active, indicating a more complex role of ZEB1 than mere induction of EMT.

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E-cadherin re-expression shows in vivo evidence for mesenchymal to epithelial transition in clonal metastatic breast tumor cells

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