MIIP haploinsufficiency induces chromosomal instability and promotes tumour progression in colorectal cancer.

The gene encoding migration and invasion inhibitory protein (MIIP), located on 1p36.22, is a potential tumour suppressor gene in glioma. In this study, we aimed to explore the role and mechanism of action of MIIP in colorectal cancer (CRC). MIIP protein expression gradually decreased along the colorectal adenoma-carcinoma sequence and was negatively correlated with lymph node and distant metastasis in 526 colorectal tissue samples (p < 0.05 for all). Analysis of The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) data showed that decreased MIIP expression was significantly associated with MIIP hemizygous deletion (p = 0.0005), which was detected in 27.7% (52/188) of CRC cases, and associated with lymph node and distant metastasis (p < 0.05 for both). We deleted one copy of the MIIP gene in HCT116 CRC cells using zinc finger nuclease technology and demonstrated that MIIP haploinsufficiency resulted in increased colony formation and cell migration and invasion, which was consistent with the results from siRNA-mediated MIIP knockdown in two CRC cell lines (p < 0.05 for all). Moreover, MIIP haploinsufficiency promoted CRC progression in vivo (p < 0.05). Genomic instability and spectral karyotyping assays demonstrated that MIIP haploinsufficiency induced chromosomal instability (CIN). Besides modulating the downstream proteins of APC/CCdc20 , securin and cyclin B1, MIIP haploinsufficiency inhibited topoisomerase II (Topo II) activity and induced chromosomal missegregation. Therefore, we report that MIIP is a novel potential tumour suppressor gene in CRC. Moreover, we characterized the MIIP gene as a novel CIN suppressor gene, through altering the stability of mitotic checkpoint proteins and disturbing Topo II activity. Copyright © 2016 Pathological Society of Great Britain and Ireland. Published by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

CG100649, a novel COX-2 inhibitor, inhibits colorectal adenoma and carcinoma growth in mouse models.

Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) and selective cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) inhibitors (COXIBs) can reduce the risk of developing colorectal cancer (CRC) and are being considered for use as adjuvant therapy for treatment of CRC patients. However, long-term use of most NSAIDs, except aspirin, increases cardiovascular risk, hampering use of these drugs in CRC prevention and possibly for treatment. CG100649 is a new member of the COXIB family, which is proposed to inhibit both COX-2 and carbonic anhydrase-I/-II (CA-I/-II) activity. Using mouse models, we show here that CG100649 inhibits premalignant and malignant colorectal lesions in mouse models, partly through inhibiting tumor cell proliferation. These pre-clinical findings suggest a need for further exploration of CG100649 for CRC prevention and treatment. The long-term safety profile of CG100649, particularly regarding its effect on cardiovascular risk, is yet to be determined.

Akt phosphorylates and suppresses the transactivation of retinoic acid receptor alpha.

The transactivation of nuclear receptors is regulated by both ligand binding and phosphorylation. We previously showed that RARalpha (retinoic acid receptor alpha) phosphorylation by c-Jun N-terminal kinase contributes to retinoid resistance in a subset of NSCLC cells (non-small cell lung cancer cells), but the aetiology of this resistance in the remainder has not been fully elucidated [Srinivas, Juroske, Kalyankrishna, Cody, Price, Xu, Narayanan, Weigel and Kurie (2005) Mol. Cell. Biol. 25, 1054-1069]. In the present study, we report that Akt, which is constitutively activated in NSCLC cells, phosphorylates RARalpha and inhibits its transactivation. Biochemical and functional analyses showed that Akt interacts with RARalpha and phosphorylates the Ser96 residue of its DNA-binding domain. Mutation of Ser96 to alanine abrogated the suppressive effect of Akt. Overexpression of a dominant-negative form of Akt in an NSCLC cell line decreased RAR phosphorylation, increased RAR transactivation and enhanced the growth-inhibitory effects of an RAR ligand. The findings presented here show that Akt inhibits RAR transactivation and contributes to retinoid resistance in a subset of NSCLC cells.

Prostaglandin E2 promotes intestinal tumor growth via DNA methylation.

Although aberrant DNA methylation is considered to be one of the key ways by which tumor-suppressor and DNA-repair genes are silenced during tumor initiation and progression, the mechanisms underlying DNA methylation alterations in cancer remain unclear. Here we show that prostaglandin E(2) (PGE(2)) silences certain tumor-suppressor and DNA-repair genes through DNA methylation to promote tumor growth. These findings uncover a previously unrecognized role for PGE(2) in the promotion of tumor progression.

The Crosstalk of PTGS2 and EGF Signaling Pathways in Colorectal Cancer.

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is now the second-leading cause of cancer deaths in the USA. Colorectal cancer progression and metastasis depends on the orchestration of the aberrant signaling pathways that control tumor cell proliferation, survival and migration/invasion. Epidemiological, clinical, and animal studies have demonstrated that prostaglandin-endoperoxide synthase 2 (PTGS2) and epithelial growth factor (EGF) signaling pathways play key roles in promoting colorectal cancer growth and metastasis. In this review, we highlight major advances in our understanding of the roles of PTGS2 and EGF signaling in colorectal cancer.

HEF1 is a crucial mediator of the proliferative effects of prostaglandin E(2) on colon cancer cells.

Prostaglandin E(2) (PGE(2)), one of the downstream products of cyclooxygenase-2 enzymatic activity, promotes colorectal carcinogenesis in part by stimulating cell division. In this study, we define a critical mechanism in this process by showing that the prometastatic adapter protein human enhancer of filamentation 1 (HEF1; NEDD9) links PGE(2) to the cell cycle machinery in colorectal cancer cells. PGE(2) rapidly induced expression of HEF1 mRNA and protein in colorectal cancer cells. HEF1 overexpression elicited the same effects as PGE(2) treatment on cell proliferation, cell cycle progression, and tumor growth. Conversely, HEF1 knockdown suppressed PGE(2)-driven cell proliferation and cell cycle progression. Cell cycle alterations involved HEF1 fragmentation as well as co-distribution of HEF1 and cell cycle kinase Aurora A along spindle asters during cell division. Moreover, Aurora A co-immunoprecipitated with HEF1 and was activated by HEF1. Consistent with a role for HEF1 in colorectal carcinogenesis, we found elevated expression of HEF1 expression in 50% of human colorectal cancers examined, relative to paired normal tissues. These findings establish that PGE(2) induces HEF1 expression, which in turn promotes cell cycle progression through its interaction with and activation of Aurora A. Further, they establish that HEF1 is a crucial downstream mediator of PGE(2) action during colorectal carcinogenesis.

Human enhancer of filamentation 1 Is a mediator of hypoxia-inducible factor-1alpha-mediated migration in colorectal carcinoma cells.

Human enhancer of filamentation 1 (HEF1; also known as NEDD9 or Cas-L) is a scaffolding protein that is implicated in regulating diverse cellular processes, such as cellular attachment, motility, cell cycle progression, apoptosis, and inflammation. Here, we identify HEF1 as a novel hypoxia-inducible factor-1alpha (HIF-1alpha)-regulated gene and reveal that HEF1 mediates hypoxia-induced migration of colorectal carcinoma cells. HEF1 is highly expressed in cultured colorectal carcinoma cells exposed to hypoxia and in the hypoxic areas of human colorectal cancer (CRC) specimens. Moreover, our data show that HIF-1alpha mediates the effects of hypoxia on induction of HEF1 expression via binding to a hypoxia-responsive element of the HEF1 promoter. Importantly, the induction of HEF1 expression significantly enhances hypoxia-stimulated HIF-1alpha transcriptional activity by modulating the interaction between HIF-1alpha and its transcriptional cofactor p300. Inhibition of HEF1 expression also reduced the levels of hypoxia-inducible genes, including those that regulate cell motility. Cell migration was reduced dramatically following knockdown of HEF1 expression under hypoxic conditions. Thus, this positive feedback loop may contribute to adaptive responses of carcinoma cells encountering hypoxia during cancer progression.

Targeted deletion of MKK4 gene potentiates TNF-induced apoptosis through the down-regulation of NF-kappa B activation and NF-kappa B-regulated antiapoptotic gene products.

MAPK kinase 4 (MKK4) is a dual-specificity kinase that activates both JNK and p38 MAPK. However, the mechanism by which MKK4 regulates TNF-induced apoptosis is not fully understood. Therefore, we used fibroblasts derived from MKK4 gene-deleted (MKK4-KO) mice to determine the role of this kinase in TNF signaling. We found that when compared with the wild-type cells, deletion of MKK4 gene enhanced TNF-induced apoptosis, and this correlated with down-regulation of TNF-induced cell-proliferative (COX-2 and cyclin D1) and antiapoptotic (survivin, IAP1, XIAP, Bcl-2, Bcl-x(L), and cFLIP) gene products, all regulated by NF-kappaB. Indeed we found that TNF-induced NF-kappaB activation was abrogated in MKK4 gene-deleted cells, as determined by DNA binding. Further investigation revealed that TNF-induced I kappaB alpha kinase activation, I kappaB alpha phosphorylation, I kappaB alpha degradation, and p65 nuclear translocation were all suppressed in MKK4-KO cells. NF-kappaB reporter assay revealed that NF-kappaB activation induced by TNF, TNFR1, TRADD, TRAF2, NIK, and I kappaB alpha kinase was modulated in gene-deleted cells. Overall, our results indicate that MKK4 plays a central role in TNF-induced apoptosis through the regulation of NF-kappaB-regulated gene products.

Mitogen-activated protein kinase kinase-4 promotes cell survival by decreasing PTEN expression through an NF kappa B-dependent pathway.

Mitogen-activated protein kinase kinase-4 (MKK4/SEK1) cooperates with phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase to maintain the survival of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) cells, but the biochemical basis of this phenomenon has not been elucidated. Here we used genetic approaches to modulate MKK4 expression in mouse embryo fibroblasts (MEF cells) and NSCLC cells to identify prosurvival signals downstream of MKK4. Relative to wild-type MEF cells, MKK4-null MEF cells were highly susceptible to apoptosis by LY294002, paclitaxel, or serum starvation. MKK4 promoted the survival of MEF cells by decreasing the expression of phosphatase and tensin homologue deleted from chromosome 10 (PTEN). MKK4 inhibited PTEN transcription by activating NFkappaB, a transcriptional suppressor of PTEN. MKK4 was required for nuclear translocation of RelA/p65 and processing of the NFkappaB2 precursor (p100) into the mature form (p52). Studies on a panel of NSCLC cell lines revealed a subset with high MKK4/high NFkappaB/low PTEN that was relatively resistant to apoptosis. Thus, MKK4 promotes cell survival by activating phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase through an NFkappaB/PTEN-dependent pathway.

Evidence that phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase- and mitogen-activated protein kinase kinase-4/c-Jun NH2-terminal kinase-dependent Pathways cooperate to maintain lung cancer cell survival.

Cancer cells in which the PTEN lipid phosphatase gene is deleted have constitutively activated phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K)-dependent signaling and require activation of this pathway for survival. In non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) cells, PI3K-dependent signaling is typically activated through mechanisms other than PTEN gene loss. The role of PI3K in the survival of cancer cells that express wild-type PTEN has not been defined. Here we provide evidence that H1299 NSCLC cells, which express wild-type PTEN, underwent proliferative arrest following treatment with an inhibitor of all isoforms of class I PI3K catalytic activity (LY294002) or overexpression of the PTEN lipid phosphatase. In contrast, overexpression of a dominant-negative mutant of the p85alpha regulatory subunit of PI3K (Deltap85) induced apoptosis. Whereas PTEN and Delta85 both inhibited activation of AKT/protein kinase B, only Deltap85 inhibited c-Jun NH2-terminal kinase (JNK) activity. Cotransfection of the constitutively active mutant Rac-1 (Val12), an upstream activator of JNK, abrogated Deltap85-induced lung cancer cell death, whereas constitutively active mutant mitogen-activated protein kinase kinase (MKK)-1 (R4F) did not. Furthermore, LY294002 induced apoptosis of MKK4-null but not wild-type mouse embryo fibroblasts. Therefore, we propose that, in the setting of wild-type PTEN, PI3K- and MKK4/JNK-dependent pathways cooperate to maintain cell survival.