Dissemination of tumour cells to the bone marrow is an early event in breast cancer, however cells may lie dormant for many years before bone metastases develop. Treatment for bone metastases is not ...curative, therefore new adjuvant therapies which prevent the colonisation of disseminated cells into metastatic lesions are required. There is evidence that cancer stem cells (CSCs) within breast tumours are capable of metastasis, but the mechanism by which these colonise bone is unknown. Here, we establish that bone marrow-derived IL1β stimulates breast cancer cell colonisation in the bone by inducing intracellular NFkB and CREB signalling in breast cancer cells, leading to autocrine Wnt signalling and CSC colony formation. Importantly, we show that inhibition of this pathway prevents both CSC colony formation in the bone environment, and bone metastasis. These findings establish that targeting IL1β-NFKB/CREB-Wnt signalling should be considered for adjuvant therapy to prevent breast cancer bone metastasis.
The continuous exposure of the colonic epithelium to high concentrations of bile acids may exert cytotoxic effects and has been related to pathogenesis of colon cancer. A better knowledge of the ...mechanisms by which bile acids induce toxicity is still required and may be useful for the development of new therapeutic strategies. We have studied the effect of deoxycholic acid (DCA) and chenodeoxycholic acid (CDCA) treatments in BCS-TC2 human colon adenocarcinoma cells. Both bile acids promote cell death, being this effect higher for CDCA. Apoptosis is detected after 30 min–2 h of treatment, as observed by cell detachment, loss of membrane asymmetry, internucleosomal DNA degradation, appearance of mitochondrial transition permeability (MPT), and caspase and Bax activation. At longer treatment times, apoptosis is followed in vitro by secondary necrosis due to impaired mitochondrial activity and ATP depletion. Bile acid-induced apoptosis is a result of oxidative stress with increased ROS generation mainly by activation of plasma membrane enzymes, such as NAD(P)H oxidases and, to a lower extent, PLA
2
. These effects lead to a loss of mitochondrial potential and release of pro-apoptotic factors to the cytosol, which is confirmed by activation of caspase-9 and -3, but not caspase-8. This initial apoptotic steps promote cleavage of Bcl-2, allowing Bax activation and formation of additional pores in the mitochondrial membrane that amplify the apoptotic signal.
Full text
Available for:
EMUNI, FIS, FZAB, GEOZS, GIS, IJS, IMTLJ, KILJ, KISLJ, MFDPS, NLZOH, NUK, OILJ, PNG, SAZU, SBCE, SBJE, SBMB, SBNM, UKNU, UL, UM, UPUK, VKSCE, ZAGLJ
4F2hc is a type-II glycoprotein whose covalent-bound association with one of several described light chains yields a heterodimer mainly involved in large neutral amino acid transport. Likewise, it is ...well known that the heavy chain interacts with β-integrins mediating integrin-dependent events such as survival, proliferation, migration and even transformation. 4F2hc is a ubiquitous protein whose overexpression has been related to tumor development and progression. Stable silencing of 4F2hc in HeLa cells using an artificial miRNA impairs in vivo tumorigenicity and leads to an ineffective proliferation response to mitogens. 4F2hc colocalizes with β1-integrins and CD147, but this interaction does not occur in lipid rafts in HeLa cells. Moreover, silenced cells present defects in integrin- (FAK, Akt and ERK1/2) and hypoxia-dependent signaling, and reduced expression/activity of MMP-2. These alterations seem to be dependent on the inappropriate formation of CD147/4F2hc/β1-integrin heterocomplexes on the cell surface, arising when CD147 cannot interact with 4F2hc. Although extracellular galectin-3 accumulates due to the decrease in MMP-2 activity, galectin-3 signaling events are blocked due to an impaired interaction with 4F2hc, inducing an increased degradation of β-catenin. Furthermore, cell motility is compromised after protein silencing, suggesting that 4F2hc is related to tumor invasion by facilitating cell motility. Therefore, here we propose a molecular mechanism by which 4F2hc participates in tumor progression, favoring first steps of epithelial–mesenchymal transition by inhibition of β-catenin proteasomal degradation through Akt/GSK-3β signaling and enabling cell motility.
•4F2hc silencing impairs tumor take in mice and the mitogenic response in HeLa cells.•Silenced cells present defects in integrin- and hypoxia-dependent signaling.•MMP-2 expression and cell motility depend on 4F2hc/CD147/β1-integrin complexes.•4F2hc membrane heterocomplexes regulate galectin signaling and β-catenin activation.•4F2hc participates in tumor progression favoring epithelial–mesenchymal transition.
Full text
Available for:
GEOZS, IJS, IMTLJ, KILJ, KISLJ, NLZOH, NUK, OILJ, PNG, SAZU, SBCE, SBJE, UILJ, UL, UM, UPCLJ, UPUK, ZAGLJ, ZRSKP
Annexin A13 is the founder member of the vertebrate family of annexins, which are comprised of a tetrad of unique conserved domains responsible for calcium-dependent binding to membranes. Its ...expression is restricted to epithelial intestinal and kidney cells. Alternative splicing in the N-terminal region generates two isoforms, A13a and A13b, differing in a deletion of 41 residues in the former. We have confirmed the expression of both isoforms in human colon adenocarcinoma cells at the mRNA and protein levels. We have cloned, expressed, and purified human annexin A13a for the first time to analyze its structural characteristics. Its secondary structure and thermal stability differs greatly from the A13b isoform. The only tryptophan residue (Trp
) is buried in the protein core in the absence of calcium but is exposed to the solvent after calcium binding even though circular dichroism spectra are quite similar. Non-myristoylated annexin A13a binds in a calcium-dependent manner to acidic phospholipids but not to neutral or raft-like liposomes. Calcium requirements for binding to phosphatidylserine are around 6-fold lower than those required by the A13b isoform. This fact could account for the different subcellular localization of both annexins as binding to basolateral membranes seems to be calcium-dependent and myristoylation-independent.
A critical risk factor in colorectal carcinogenesis and tumor therapy is the resistance to the apoptotic effects of different compounds from the intestinal lumen, among them butyrate (main regulator ...of colonic epithelium homeostasis). Insensitivity to butyrate-induced apoptosis yields resistance to other agents, as bile acids or chemotherapy drugs, allowing the selective growth of malignant cell subpopulations. Here we analyze bile acid-induced apoptosis in a butyrate-resistant human colon adenocarcinoma cell line (BCS-TC2.BR2) to determine the mechanisms that underlay the resistance to these agents in comparison with their parental butyrate-sensitive BCS-TC2 cells. This study demonstrates that DCA and CDCA still induce apoptosis in butyrate-resistant cells through increased ROS production by activation of membrane-associated enzymes and subsequent triggering of the intrinsic mitochondrial apoptotic pathway. Although this mechanism is similar to that described in butyrate-sensitive cells, cell viability is significantly higher in resistant cells. Moreover, butyrate-resistant cells show higher Bcl‐2 levels that confer resistance to bile acid-induced apoptosis sequestering Bax and avoiding Bax-dependent pore formation in the mitochondria. We have confirmed that this resistance is reverted using the Bcl-2 inhibitor ABT-263, thus demonstrating that the lower sensitivity of butyrate-resistant cells to the apoptotic effects of bile acids is mainly due to increased Bcl-2 levels.
► Bile acids increase ROS by activation of membrane enzymes in colon cancer cells. ► ROS trigger the MPT and the intrinsic apoptotic pathway followed by Bax activation. ► Bile-acid induced apoptosis is impaired in butyrate-resistant colon cancer cells. ► Resistance is due to overexpression of Bcl-2 and blockage of Bax activation. ► Resistance can be reverted by inhibition of Bcl-2 using ABT-263 (navitoclax).
Full text
Available for:
GEOZS, IJS, IMTLJ, KILJ, KISLJ, NLZOH, NUK, OILJ, PNG, SAZU, SBCE, SBJE, UILJ, UL, UM, UPCLJ, UPUK, ZAGLJ, ZRSKP
P-cadherin is a classical cell-cell adhesion molecule that, in contrast to E-cadherin, has a positive role in breast cancer progression, being considered a poor prognostic factor in this disease. In ...previous reports, we have shown that this protein induces cancer stem cell and invasive properties to basal-like breast cancer cells. Here, we clarify the downstream signaling pathways that are triggered by P-cadherin to mediate these effects. We demonstrated that P-cadherin inhibition led to a significant decreased adhesion of cancer cells to the basement membrane substrate laminin, as well as to a major reduction in the expression of the laminin receptor α6β4 integrin. Remarkably, the expression of this heterodimer was required for the invasive capacity and increased mammosphere forming efficiency induced by P-cadherin expression. Moreover, we showed that P-cadherin transcriptionally up-regulates the α6 integrin subunit expression and directly interacts with the β4 integrin subunit. We still showed that P-cadherin downstream signaling, in response to laminin, involves the activation of focal adhesion (FAK), Src and AKT kinases. The association between the expression of P-cadherin, α6β4 heterodimer and the active FAK and Src phosphorylated forms was validated in vivo. Our data establish that there is a crosstalk between P-cadherin and the laminin receptor α6β4 integrin signaling pathway, which link has never been previously described. The activation of this heterodimer explains the stem cell and invasive properties induced by P-cadherin to breast cancer cells, pointing to a new molecular mechanism that may be targeted to counteract the effects induced by this adhesion molecule.
MMP-11 (stromelysin-3) is a matrix metalloproteinase associated with tumor progression and poor prognosis. Its expression was initially described exclusively in stromal cells surrounding tumors, but ...more recently it has also been detected in macrophages and hepatocarcinoma cells. Here we show MMP-11 expression in human epithelial colon adenocarcinoma cell lines (Caco-2, HT-29 and BCS-TC2). Treatment of BCS-TC2 cells with butyrate and trichostatin A (TSA) (histone deacetylase inhibitors) increases MMP11 promoter activity and protein expression. Using electrophoretic mobility shift assay (EMSA) and supershift assays, we demonstrate for the first time that Sp1 is able to bind to the GC-boxes within the MMP11 proximal promoter region; this binding has been confirmed by chromatin immunoprecipitation. Sp1 is involved in MMP11 basal expression and it is essential for the upregulation of transcription by histone deacetylase inhibitors as deduced from mutant constructs lacking the Sp1 sites and by inhibition of its binding to the promoter with mithramycin. This regulation requires the formation of Sp1/Smad2 heterocomplexes, which is stimulated by an increase in the acetylation status of Smad after butyrate or TSA treatments. We have also found that ERK1/2-mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK), but not p38-MAPK or JNK, is involved in the upregulation of MMP11 by HDAC inhibitors.
► MMP-11 is expressed in epithelial human colon adenocarcinoma cells. ► Transcriptional activity requires binding of Sp1/Smad2 complexes. ► HDAC inhibitors increase the acetylation status of Smad2. ► Smad2 acetylation promotes interaction with Sp1 and MMP-11 transcriptional activity. ► ERK pathway activation by HDAC inhibitors is required for upregulation of MMP-11.
Full text
Available for:
GEOZS, IJS, IMTLJ, KILJ, KISLJ, NLZOH, NUK, OILJ, PNG, SAZU, SBCE, SBJE, UILJ, UL, UM, UPCLJ, UPUK, ZAGLJ, ZRSKP
Butyrate has antitumorigenic effects on colon cancer cells, inhibits cell growth and promotes differentiation and apoptosis. These effects depend on its intracellular concentration, which is ...regulated by its transport. We have analysed butyrate uptake kinetics in human colon adenocarcinoma cells sensitive to the apoptotic effects of butyrate (BCS-TC2, Caco-2 and HT-29), in butyrate-resistant cells (BCS-TC2.BR2) and in normal colonic cells (FHC). The properties of transport were analysed with structural analogues, specific inhibitors and different bicarbonate and sodium concentrations. Two carrier-mediated mechanisms were detected: a low-affinity/high-capacity (K(m)=109+/-16 mM in BCS-TC2 cells) anion exchanger and a high-affinity/low-capacity (K(m)=17.9+/-4.0 microM in BCS-TC2 cells) proton-monocarboxylate co-transporter that was energy-dependent and activated via PKCdelta (protein kinase Cdelta). All adenocarcinoma cells analysed express MCT (monocarboxylate transporter) 1, MCT4, ancillary protein CD147 and AE2 (anion exchanger 2). Silencing experiments show that MCT1, whose expression increases with butyrate treatment in butyrate-sensitive cells, plays a key role in high-affinity transport. Low-affinity uptake was mediated by a butyrate/bicarbonate antiporter along with a possible contribution of AE2 and MCT4. Butyrate treatment increased uptake in a time- and dose-dependent manner in butyrate-sensitive but not in butyrate-resistant cells. The two butyrate-uptake activities in human colon adenocarcinoma cells enable butyrate transport at different physiological conditions to maintain cell functionality. The high-affinity/low-capacity transport functions under low butyrate concentrations and may be relevant for the survival of carcinoma cells in tumour regions with low glucose and butyrate availability as well as for the normal physiology of colonocytes.
One third of ER-positive breast cancer patients who initially respond to endocrine therapy become resistant to treatment. Such treatment failure is associated with poor prognosis and remains an area ...of unmet clinical need. Here, we identify a specific posttranslational modification that occurs during endocrine resistance and which results in tumor susceptibility to the apoptosis-inducer TRAIL. This potentially offers a novel stratified approach to targeting endocrine-resistant breast cancer.
Cell line and primary-derived xenograft models of endocrine resistance were investigated for susceptibility to TRAIL. Tumor viability, cancer stem cell (CSC) viability (tumorspheres), tumor growth kinetics, and metastatic burden were assessed. Western blots for the TRAIL-pathway inhibitor, c-FLIP, and upstream regulators were performed. Results were confirmed in primary culture of 26 endocrine-resistant and endocrine-naïve breast tumors.
Breast cancer cell lines with acquired resistance to tamoxifen (TAMR) or faslodex were more sensitive to TRAIL than their endocrine-sensitive controls. Moreover, TRAIL eliminated CSC-like activity in TAMR cells, resulting in prolonged remission of xenografts
In primary culture, TRAIL significantly depleted CSCs in 85% endocrine-resistant, compared with 8% endocrine-naïve, tumors, whereas systemic administration of TRAIL in endocrine-resistant patient-derived xenografts reduced tumor growth, CSC-like activity, and metastases. Acquired TRAIL sensitivity correlated with a reduction in intracellular levels of c-FLIP, and an increase in Jnk-mediated phosphorylation of E3-ligase, ITCH, which degrades c-FLIP.
These results identify a novel mechanism of acquired vulnerability to an extrinsic cell death stimulus, in endocrine-resistant breast cancers, which has both therapeutic and prognostic potential.
.