MEG3-Mediated Oral Squamous-Cell-Carcinoma-Derived Exosomal miR-421 Activates Angiogenesis by Targeting HS2ST1 in Vascular Endothelial Cells.

Exosomal microRNAs (miRNAs) from cancer cells play a key role in mediating the oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) microenvironment. The objective of this study was to investigate how the long non-coding RNA (lncRNA) MEG3 affects OSCC angiogenesis through exosomal miR-421. Global miRNA microarray analysis and quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR) were performed to determine the level of miRNAs in OSCC cell-derived exosomes. Cell migration, invasion, tube formation, immunohistochemistry, and hemoglobin concentrations were used to study the effects of exosomal miR-421 in angiogenesis. Western blotting was used to determine the expression level of HS2ST1 and VEGFR2-related downstream proteins. MiRNA array and qRT-PCR identified the upregulation of miR-421 in OSCC cell-derived exosomes. Furthermore, exosomal miR-421 can be taken up by human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) and then target HS2ST1 through VEGF-mediated ERK and AKT phosphorylation, thereby promoting HUVEC migration, invasion, and tube formation. Additionally, forced expression of the lncRNA MEG3 in OSCC cells reduced exosomal miR-421 levels and then increased HS2ST1 expression, thereby reducing the VEGF/VEGFR2 pathway in HUVECs. Our results demonstrate a novel mechanism by which lncRNA MEG3 can act as a tumor suppressor and regulate endothelial angiogenesis through the exosomal miR-421/HS2ST1 axis, which provides a potential therapeutic strategy for OSCC angiogenesis.

MicroRNA-152-3p and MicroRNA-196a-5p Are Downregulated When Müller Cells Are Promoted by Components of the Internal Limiting Membrane: Implications for Macular Hole Healing.

Müller cells play a critical role in the closure of macular holes, and their proliferation and migration are facilitated by the internal limiting membrane (ILM). Despite the importance of this process, the underlying molecular mechanism remains underexplored. This study investigated the effects of ILM components on the microRNA (miRNA) profile of Müller cells. Rat Müller cells (rMC-1) were cultured with a culture insert and varying concentrations of ILM component coatings, namely, collagen IV, laminin, and fibronectin, and cell migration was assessed by measuring cell-free areas in successive photographs following insert removal. MiRNAs were then extracted from these cells and analyzed. Mimics and inhibitors of miRNA candidates were transfected into Müller cells, and a cell migration assay and additional cell viability assays were performed. The results revealed that the ILM components promoted Müller cell migration (p < 0.01). Among the miRNA candidates, miR-194-3p was upregulated, whereas miR-125b-1-3p, miR-132-3p, miR-146b-5p, miR-152-3p, miR-196a-5p, miR-542-5p, miR-871-3p, miR-1839-5p, and miR-3573-3p were significantly downregulated (p < 0.05; fold change > 1.5). Moreover, miR-152-3p and miR-196a-5p reduced cell migration (p < 0.05) and proliferation (p < 0.001), and their suppressive effects were reversed by their respective inhibitors. In conclusion, miRNAs were regulated in ILM component-activated Müller cells, with miR-152-3p and miR-196a-5p regulating Müller cell migration and proliferation. These results serve as a basis for understanding the molecular healing process of macular holes and identifying potential new target genes in future research.

Transcriptional suppression of Dicer by HOXB-AS3/EZH2 complex dictates sorafenib resistance and cancer stemness.

Sorafenib is a multikinase inhibitor for the standard treatment of advanced liver cancer patients. However, acquired resistance to sorafenib is responsible for a poor prognosis. Therefore, uncovering the molecular mechanisms underlying sorafenib sensitization can provide biomarkers for sorafenib treatment and improve sorafenib activity in a precise medication. Here, we report that epigenetic suppression of Dicer by the HOXB-AS3/EZH2 complex is responsible for sorafenib resistance. We observed that Dicer expression is inversely correlated with EZH2 levels, HOXB-AS3 expression, sorafenib resistance, and cancer stem cell properties in liver cancer patients. Furthermore, ectopic expression of Dicer induced liver cancer cells resensitization to sorafenib. Mechanistically, we found HOXB-AS3 physically interacts with EZH2 and recruits EZH2 to the Dicer promoter, resulting in epigenetic suppression of Dicer expression. These findings reveal that HOXB-AS3/EZH2 complex-mediated Dicer suppression plays an important role in sorafenib resistance and cancer stemness and provide potential therapeutic strategies for diagnosing and treating liver cancer patients.

MiR-30a and miR-379 modulate retinoic acid pathway by targeting DNA methyltransferase 3B in oral cancer.

BACKGROUND: Epigenetic silencing of retinoic acid (RA) signaling-related genes have been linked with the pathogenesis and clinical outcome in oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) carcinogenesis. However, the precise mechanisms underlying the abnormal silencing of RA signaling-related genes in OSCC have not been well investigated. METHODS: Using combined analysis of genome-wide gene expression and methylation profile from 40 matched normal-tumor pairs of OSCC specimens, we found a set of retinoid signaling related genes are frequently hypermethylated and downregulated in OSCC patient samples, including alcohol dehydrogenase, iron containing 1 (ADHFE1) and aldehyde dehydrogenase 1 family, member A2 (ALDH1A2), which are the important rate-limiting enzymes in synthesis of RA. The expression of ADHFE1 and ALDH1A2 in OSCC patients was determine by quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR) and immunohistochemistry. The binding sites of miR-30a and miR-379 with DNA methyltransferase 3B (DNMT3B) were predicted using a series of bioinformatic tools, and validated using dual luciferase assay and Western blot analyses. The functions of miR-30a, miR-379, and DNMT3B were accessed by growth and colony formation analyses using gain- and loss-of-function approaches. Chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP) was performed to explore the molecular mechanisms by arecoline and 4-(methylnitrosamino)-1-(3-pyridyl)-1-butanone (NNK) treatment. RESULTS: We demonstrated that deregulated miR-30a and miR-379 could represent a mechanism for the silencing of ADHFE1 and ALDH1A2 in OSCC through targeting DNMT3B. Ectopic expression of miR-30a and miR-379 could induce re-expression of methylation-silenced ADHFE1 and ALDH1A2, and lead to growth inhibition in oral cancer cells. Furthermore, the dysregulation of the miRNAs and DNMT-3B may result from exposure to tobacco smoking and betel quid chewing. CONCLUSIONS: Our results demonstrate that tobacco smoking and betel quid chewing could repress miR-30a and miR-379, which upregulate the DNMT3B expression, in turn, lead to the hypermethylation of ADHFE1 and ALDH1A genes, consequently, promote the oncogenic activity. These findings highlight the potential use of retinoids in combination with epigenetic modifiers for the prevention or treatment of oral cancer.

Negative feedback regulation of AXL by miR-34a modulates apoptosis in lung cancer cells.

The AXL receptor tyrosine kinase is frequently overexpressed in cancers and is important in cancer invasion/metastasis and chemoresistance. Here, we demonstrate a regulatory feedback loop between AXL and microRNA (miRNA) at the post-transcriptional level. Both the GAS6-binding domain and the kinase domain of AXL, particularly the Y779 tyrosine phosphorylation site, are shown to be crucial for this autoregulation. To clarify the role of miRNAs in this regulation loop, approaches using bioinformatics and molecular techniques were applied, revealing that miR-34a may target the 3' UTR of AXL mRNA to inhibit AXL expression. Interestingly and importantly, AXL overexpression may induce miR-34a expression by activating the transcription factor ELK1 via the JNK signaling pathway. In addition, ectopic overexpression of ELK1 promotes apoptosis through, in part, down-regulation of AXL. Therefore, we propose that AXL is autoregulated by miR-34a in a feedback loop; this may provide a novel opportunity for developing AXL-targeted anticancer therapies.

Up-regulation of miR-455-5p by the TGF-ß-SMAD signalling axis promotes the proliferation of oral squamous cancer cells by targeting UBE2B.

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are involved in the tumourigenesis of various cancers by regulating their downstream targets. To identify the changes of miRNAs in oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC), we investigated the expression profiles of miRNAs in 40 pairs of OSCC specimens and their matched non-tumour epithelial tissues. Our data revealed higher miR-455-5p expression in the tumour tissues than in the normal tissues; the expression was also higher in oral cancer cell lines than in normal keratinocyte cell lines. MiR-455-5p knockdown reduced both the anchorage-independent growth and the proliferative ability of oral cancer cells, and these factors increased in miR-455-5p-overexpressing cells. Furthermore, by analysing the array data of patients with cancer and cell lines, we identified ubiquitin-conjugating enzyme E2B (UBE2B) as a target of miR-455-5p, and further validated this using 3'-untranslated region luciferase reporter assays and western blot analysis. We also demonstrated that UBE2B suppression rescued the impaired growth ability of miR-455-5p-knockdown cells. Furthermore, we observed that miR-455-5p expression was regulated, at least in part, by the transforming growth factor-ß (TGF-ß) pathway through the binding of SMAD3 to specific promoter regions. Notably, miR-455-5p expression was associated with the nodal status, stage, and overall survival in our patients, suggesting that miR-455-5p is a potential marker for predicting the prognosis of patients with oral cancer. In conclusion, we reveal that miR-455-5p expression is regulated by the TGF-ß-dependent pathway, which subsequently leads to UBE2B down-regulation and contributes to oral cancer tumourigenesis. Copyright © 2016 Pathological Society of Great Britain and Ireland. Published by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Nutrient deprivation induces the Warburg effect through ROS/AMPK-dependent activation of pyruvate dehydrogenase kinase.

The Warburg effect is known to be crucial for cancer cells to acquire energy. Nutrient deficiencies are an important phenomenon in solid tumors, but the effect on cancer cell metabolism is not yet clear. In this study, we demonstrate that starvation of HeLa cells by incubation with Hank's buffered salt solution (HBSS) induced cell apoptosis, which was accompanied by the induction of reactive oxygen species (ROS) production and AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) phosphorylation. Notably, HBSS starvation increased lactate production, cytoplasmic pyruvate content and decreased oxygen consumption, but failed to change the lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) activity or the glucose uptake. We found that HBSS starvation rapidly induced pyruvate dehydrogenase kinase (PDK) activation and pyruvate dehydrogenase (PDH) phosphorylation, both of which were inhibited by compound C (an AMPK inhibitor), NAC (a ROS scavenger), and the dominant negative mutant of AMPK. Our data further revealed the involvement of ROS production in AMPK activation. Moreover, DCA (a PDK inhibitor), NAC, and compound C all significantly decreased HBSS starvation-induced lactate production accompanied by enhancement of HBSS starvation-induced cell apoptosis. Not only in HeLa cells, HBSS-induced lactate production and PDH phosphorylation were also observed in CL1.5, A431 and human umbilical vein endothelial cells. Taken together, we for the first time demonstrated that a low-nutrient condition drives cancer cells to utilize glycolysis to produce ATP, and this increases the Warburg effect through a novel mechanism involving ROS/AMPK-dependent activation of PDK. Such an event contributes to protecting cells from apoptosis upon nutrient deprivation.

Reciprocal regulation of microRNA-99a and insulin-like growth factor I receptor signaling in oral squamous cell carcinoma cells.

BACKGROUND: MicroRNAs (miRNAs), small noncoding RNA molecules can function as oncogenes or tumor suppressors in tumorigenesis. Oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) is one of the most prevalent cancers worldwide with a 5-year survival rate of approximately 50%. METHODS: The expression of microRNA-99a (miR-99a) in OSCC tissues and cell lines was investigated using quantitative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) analysis. The functions of miR-99a in migration/invasion and lung colonization were determined by transwell and tail vein injection assays, respectively. Specific targets of miR-99a were determined by software prediction, correlation with target protein expression, and luciferase reporter assay. The signaling pathways involved in regulation of miR-99a were investigated using the kinase inhibitors. RESULTS: We observed reduced levels of miR-99a, identified as one of the most downregulated miRNA in OSCC and all tested OSCC cell lines compared to normal oral keratinocytes. Ectopic miR-99a expression in OSCC cells markedly reduced migration and invasion in vitro as well as lung colonization in vivo. When evaluating the specific targets of miR-99a, we found that ectopic miR-99a expression downregulates insulin-like growth factor 1 receptor (IGF1R) protein and that the expression of miR-99a correlates negatively with IGF1R protein in OSCC cells. Insertion of the 3'UTR of IGF1R mRNA into the 3'UTR of a reporter gene markedly reduced luciferase activity in OSCC cells expressing miR-99a, suggesting that miR-99a reduces luciferase activity by targeting the 3'UTR of IGF1R mRNA. When evaluating the mechanisms of miR-99a downregulation, we observed the upregulation of miR-99a expression in serum-starved conditions and its suppression in response to insulin-like growth factor (IGF1) stimulation. Inhibitors of phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K) and mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) kinase inhibited IGF1-induced suppression of miR-99a, suggesting the negative regulation of miR-99a expression by IGF1R signaling. CONCLUSION: Overall, results indicate that miR-99a functions as a tumor metastasis suppressor in OSCC cells and mutually regulates IGF1R expression in a reciprocal regulation.

Tumor-associated macrophages promote oral cancer progression through activation of the Axl signaling pathway.

BACKGROUND: Recent studies suggest that tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs) promote tumor growth and metastasis. Our previous report demonstrated that Axl signaling promotes carcinogenesis and progression of oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC). This study aims to test the potential involvement of growth arrest-specific gene 6 (Gas6)/Axl signaling in the protumoral effect of TAMs. METHODS: Co-culture experiments by incubation of OSCC cells (YD38 and OE) and macrophages (THP-1) were performed. The expression of Gas6/Axl and epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) genes were examined in YD38 and OE cells. The effect of Gas6/Axl signaling on co-cultured cancer cells was further investigated by knocking down Axl expression and neutralizing Gas6. Axl and TAM distribution were analyzed by immunohistochemistry in OSCC tissues. RESULTS: Activation of Axl signaling and increased expression of mesenchymal markers, along with increased invasion/migration ability of OSCC cells, was noted upon co-culture with THP-1. Neutralization of Gas6 in the co-culture system or knockdown of Axl in YD38 caused the co-culture effects to be diminished. Co-culture with THP-1 increased nuclear factor (NF)-κB nuclear translocation and transcription activity in YD38 cells. A significant association between the TAM count and expression of phosphorylated Axl (P = 0.004) was found in vivo cancer tissues. CONCLUSIONS: TAMs play a protumor role in OSCC and likely promote tumor progression through activation of the Gas6/Axl-NF-κB signaling pathway. Therefore, Gas6/Axl and NF-κB signaling in OSCC cells may be a putative target for therapeutic intervention.

The miRNAs 203a/210-3p/5001-5p regulate the androgen/androgen receptor/YAP-induced migration in prostate cancer cells.

BACKGROUND: Prostate cancer (PCa) patients with elevated level of androgen receptor (AR) correlate with higher metastatic incidence. Protein expression of AR and its target gene prostate-specific antigen (PSA) are elevated in metastatic prostate tumors as compared to organ-confined tumors. Androgen treatment or elevation of AR promotes metastasis of PCa in cell culture and murine model. However, under androgen depleted condition, AR suppressed cell mobility and invasiveness of PCa cells. Androgen deprivation therapy in PCa patients is associated with higher risk of cancer metastasis. We therefore investigated the dual roles of AR and miRNAs on PCa metastasis. METHODS: The PC-3AR (PC-3 cells re-expressing AR) and LNCaP cells were used as PCa cell model. Transwell migration and invasion assay, wound-healing assay, zebrafish xenotransplantation assay, and zebrafish vascular exit assay were used to investigate the role of AR and androgen on PCa metastasis. Micro-Western Array, co-immunoprecipitation and Immunofluorescence were applied to dissect the molecular mechanism lying underneath. The miRNA array, miRNA inhibitors or plasmid, and chromatin immunoprecipitation assay were used to study the role of miRNAs on PCa metastasis. RESULTS: In the absence of androgen, AR repressed the migration and invasion of PCa cells. When androgen was present, AR stimulated the migration and invasion of PCa cells both in vitro and in zebrafish xenotransplantation model. Androgen increased phospho-AR Ser81 and yes-associated protein 1 (YAP), decreased phospho-YAP Ser217, and altered epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) proteins in PCa cells. Co-IP assay demonstrated that androgen augmented the interaction between YAP and AR in nucleus. Knockdown of YAP or treatment with YAP inhibitor abolished the androgen-induced migration and invasion of PCa cells, while overexpression of YAP showed opposite effects. The miRNA array revealed that androgen decreased hsa-miR-5001-5p but increased hsa-miR-203a and hsa-miR-210-3p in PC-3AR cells but not PC-3 cells. Treatment with inhibitors targeting hsa-miR-203a/hsa-miR-210-3p, or overexpression of hsa-miR-5001-5p decreased YAP expression as well as suppressed the androgen-induced migration and invasion of PCa cells. Chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP) assay demonstrated that AR binds with promoter region of has-miR-210-3p in the presence of androgen. CONCLUSIONS: Our observations indicated that miRNAs 203a/210-3p/5001-5p regulate the androgen/AR/YAP-induced PCa metastasis.

Resistin stimulates PC-3 prostate cancer cell growth through stimulation of SOCS3 and SOCS5 genes.

Resistin and suppressors of cytokine signaling (SOCSs) have been reported to regulate prostate cancer (PCa) cell proliferation and survival, respectively. Whether any of the SOCS molecules mediate the mitogenic effect of resistin on PCa cells is unknown. Using PC-3 human PCa cells, we found that resistin upregulates the expression of SOCS3 and SOCS5 mRNA, but not SOCS7 mRNA, in a dose- and time-dependent manner. The resistin-induced increases in SOCS3 and SOCS5 expression and cell proliferation were prevented by pretreatment with specific inhibitors of the TLR4, ERK, p38 MAPK, JNK, PI3K, and JAK2 proteins. However, pretreatment with a TLR2 inhibitor had no effect on resistin-mediated SOCS3 and SOCS5 expression. In addition, the effects of resistin on SOCS3, SOCS5, and SOCS7 mRNA levels were cell type-specific. Overexpression of either SOCS3 or SOCS5 enhanced further resistin-stimulated growth of PC-3 cells, whereas silencing SOCS3 or SOCS5 antagonized resistin-increased cell growth. Further PCa tissue analysis demonstrated higher levels of RETN, TLR4, SOCS3, and SOCS5 mRNAs in cancer tissues than benign prostate hyperplasia and indicated positive correlations among RETN, TLR4, and SOCS5. These data suggest that SOCS5, TLR4, and, to a lesser extent, SOCS3 can mediate the mitogenic effect of resistin on PC-3 PCa cells.

Axl is a prognostic marker in oral squamous cell carcinoma.

BACKGROUND: Overexpression of the receptor tyrosine kinase Axl is implicated in several diseases. The present study was conducted to determine the biologic and clinical significance of Axl in oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC). METHODS: The expression of Axl was examined in a panel of OSCC cell lines. Activation of Axl by Gas6 treatment and silencing of Axl via Axl shRNA were used to examine the effect of Axl on OSCC cell line. Expression of Axl in cancer tissues were examined by immunohistochemical staining. The associations between Axl expression and clinicopathologic features and prognosis were analyzed. RESULTS: Varied Axl expression was noted in OSCC cell lines. Compared with control cells, modulated Axl signal affected epithelial-mesenchymal gene expression and cell invasion and migration. The immunoreactivity of Axl was low in normal epithelium, and a progressively increased positive percentage was noted, from normal/hyperplastic epithelium (10.9%) to dysplasia (30.8%) to cancer tissue (54.5%). Axl expression correlated with lymph node status (P = .001) and clinical stage (P = .014) of OSCC. Patients with high expression of Axl showed poor prognosis compared with those with low Axl expression patients (P < .001). In multivariate prognostic analysis according to the Cox proportional hazard regression model, Axl expression remained as an independent prognostic factor (P = .037; CI, 1.042-3.839). CONCLUSIONS: Our data indicated that Axl signal promotes OSCC carcinogenesis and progression. The expression of Axl is a valuable marker for OSCC aggressiveness and clinical outcome.

MicroRNAs: Their Role in Metabolism, Tumor Microenvironment, and Therapeutic Implications in Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma.

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are endogenous small non-coding RNA molecules that negatively regulate gene expression by binding to target mRNAs. Deregulated miRNAs can act as either oncogenic miRNAs or tumor suppressor miRNAs in controlling proliferation, differentiation, apoptosis, metastasis, epithelial-mesenchymal transition, and immune responses, which are all involved in the carcinogenesis process of HNSCC. Recent findings have shown that metabolic reprogramming is an important hallmark of cancer, which is necessary for malignant transformation and tumor development. Some reprogrammed metabolisms are believed to be required for HNSCC against an unfavorable tumor microenvironment (TME). The TME is composed of various cell types embedded in the altered extracellular matrix, among which exosomes, secreted by cancer cells, are one of the most important factors. Tumor-derived exosomes reshape the tumor microenvironment and play a crucial role in cell-to-cell communication during HNSCC development. Exosomes encapsulate many biomolecules, including miRNAs, circulate in body fluids, and can transmit intercellular regulatory messages to nearby and distant sites, which indicates that exosomal miRNAs have the potential to become non-invasive biomarkers. This review aims to clarify the functions of diverse miRNAs in HNSCC metabolic reprogramming and tumor-derived exosomes. In addition, it also emphasizes the potential role of miRNA as a biomarker in the diagnosis, prognosis, and treatment of HNSCC cancer.

YAP-Dependent BiP Induction Is Involved in Nicotine-Mediated Oral Cancer Malignancy.

Cigarette smoking is a significant risk factor for the development and progression of oral cancer. Previous studies have reported an association between nicotine and malignancy in oral cancer. Recent studies have also demonstrated that nicotine can induce endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress in tumor cells. Binding immunoglobulin protein (BiP) acts as a master regulator of ER stress and is frequently overexpressed in oral cancer cell lines and tissues. However, the effect of nicotine on BiP in oral cancer is unknown. Therefore, this study aimed to evaluate the role of BiP and its underlying regulatory mechanisms in nicotine-induced oral cancer progression. Our results showed that nicotine significantly induced the expression of BiP in time- and dose-dependent manners in oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) cells. In addition, BiP was involved in nicotine-mediated OSCC malignancy, and depletion of BiP expression remarkably suppressed nicotine-induced malignant behaviors, including epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) change, migration, and invasion. In vivo, BiP silencing abrogated nicotine-induced tumor growth and EMT switch in nude mice. Moreover, nicotine stimulated BiP expression through the activation of the YAP-TEAD transcriptional complex. Mechanistically, we observed that nicotine regulated YAP nuclear translocation and its interaction with TEAD through α7-nAChR-Akt signaling, subsequently resulting in increased TEAD occupancy on the HSPA5 promoter and elevated promoter activity. These observations suggest that BiP is involved in nicotine-induced oral cancer malignancy and may have therapeutic potential in tobacco-related oral cancer.

Obesity-associated leptin promotes chemoresistance in colorectal cancer through YAP-dependent AXL upregulation.

Obesity results from an imbalance between caloric intake and energy expenditure, and it is highly associated with colorectal carcinogenesis and therapeutic resistance in patients with colorectal cancer (CRC). Dysregulation of adipokine production in obesity has been reported to cause malignant behaviors in CRC. Leptin, which is the principal hormone secreted by adipocytes and an obesity-associated adipokine, is significantly overexpressed in CRC tissues. However, the effect of leptin on chemoresistance in CRC is unclear. Therefore, the aim of this study was to clarify the role of leptin and the underlying mechanisms in mediating 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) resistance in CRC. We used palmitate to artificially generate obese adipocytes. As expected, lipid accumulation was significantly increased in obese adipocytes. We demonstrated that CRC cells incubated with conditioned media (CM) harvested from obese adipocytes were associated with increased resistance to 5-FU. Notably, this increase in resistance to 5-FU was through the elevated production and secretion of leptin. Leptin could further stimulate the expression of AXL and activate its downstream signaling molecule, PLCγ, thereby resulting in an increased expression of p-glycoprotein (P-gp) in CRC cells. Mechanistically, leptin induced AXL expression via the inhibition of AMPK and subsequent increase in YAP activation and nuclear translocation. In addition, nuclear YAP interacted with TEAD and promoted the occupancy of TEAD on the AXL promoter, thereby stimulating AXL promoter activity after leptin treatment. Furthermore, leptin neutralization rescued the sensitivity of CRC tumors to 5-FU in mice fed on a high-fat diet (HFD). These results indicated that leptin mediated 5-FU resistance through YAP-dependent AXL overexpression in CRC.

Identification of Prognostic Biomarkers Originating From the Tumor Stroma of Betel Quid-Associated Oral Cancer Tissues.

BACKGROUND: Partial epithelial-mesenchymal transition (p-EMT) is a distinct clinicopathological feature prevalent in oral cavity tumors of The Cancer Genome Atlas. Located at the invasion front, p-EMT cells require additional support from the tumor stroma for collective cell migration, including track clearing, extracellular matrix remodeling and immune evasion. The pathological roles of otherwise nonmalignant cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) in cancer progression are emerging. METHODS: Gene set enrichment analysis was used to reveal differentially enriched genes and molecular pathways in OC3 and TW2.6 xenograft tissues, representing mesenchymal and p-EMT tumors, respectively. R packages of genomic data science were executed for statistical evaluations and data visualization. Immunohistochemistry and Alcian blue staining were conducted to validate the bioinformatic results. Univariate and multivariate Cox proportional hazards models were performed to identify covariates significantly associated with overall survival in clinical datasets. Kaplan-Meier curves of estimated overall survival were compared for statistical difference using the log-rank test. RESULTS: Compared to mesenchymal OC3 cells, tumor stroma derived from p-EMT TW2.6 cells was significantly enriched in microvessel density, tumor-excluded macrophages, inflammatory CAFs, and extracellular hyaluronan deposition. By translating these results to clinical transcriptomic datasets of oral cancer specimens, including the Puram single-cell RNA-seq cohort comprising ~6000 cells, we identified the expression of stromal TGFBI and HYAL1 as independent poor and protective biomarkers, respectively, for 40 Taiwanese oral cancer tissues that were all derived from betel quid users. In The Cancer Genome Atlas, TGFBI was a poor marker not only for head and neck cancer but also for additional six cancer types and HYAL1 was a good indicator for four tumor cohorts, suggesting common stromal effects existing in different cancer types. CONCLUSIONS: As the tumor stroma coevolves with cancer progression, the cellular origins of molecular markers identified from conventional whole tissue mRNA-based analyses should be cautiously interpreted. By incorporating disease-matched xenograft tissue and single-cell RNA-seq results, we suggested that TGFBI and HYAL1, primarily expressed by stromal CAFs and endothelial cells, respectively, could serve as robust prognostic biomarkers for oral cancer control.

MiR-944/CISH mediated inflammation via STAT3 is involved in oral cancer malignance by cigarette smoking.

The cytokine-inducible Src homology 2-containing protein (CISH) is an endogenous suppressors of signal transduction and activator of transcription (STAT) and acts as a key negative regulator of inflammatory cytokine responses. Downregulation of CISH has been reported to associate with increased activation of STAT and enhanced inflammatory pathways. However, whether microRNAs (miRNAs) play a crucial role in CISH/STAT regulation in oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) remains unknown. The expression of CISH on OSCC patients was determine by quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR) and immunohistochemistry. Specific targeting by miRNAs was determined by software prediction, luciferase reporter assay, and correlation with target protein expression. The functions of miR-944 and CISH were accessed by transwell migration and invasion analyses using gain- and loss-of-function approaches. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and qRT-PCR were used to evaluate the pro-inflammation cytokines expression under the miR-944, CISH, NNK or combinations treatment. We found that the CISH protein, which modulates STAT3 activity, as a direct target of miR-944. CISH protein was significantly down-regulated in OSCC patients and cell lines and its level was inversely correlated with miR-944 expression. The miR-944-induced STAT3 phosphorylation, pro-inflammation cytokines secretion, migration and invasion were abolished by CISH restoration, suggesting that the oncogenic activity of miR-944 is CISH dependent. Furthermore, tobacco extract (NNK) may contribute to miR-944 induction and STAT3 activation. Antagomir-mediated inactivation of miR-944 prevented the NNK-induced STAT3 phosphorylation and pro-inflammation cytokines secretion. Altogether, these data demonstrate that NNK-induced miR944 expression plays an important role in CISH/STAT3-mediated inflammatory response and activation of tumor malignancy.

Discoidin Domain Receptor-1 (DDR1) is Involved in Angiolymphatic Invasion in Oral Cancer.

The discoidin domain receptor-1 (DDR1) is a non-integrin collagen receptor recently implicated in the collective cell migration of other cancer types. Previously, we identified an elevated expression of DDR1 in oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) cells. Through the data mining of a microarray dataset composed of matched tumor-normal tissues from forty OSCC patients, we distilled overexpressed genes statistically associated with angiolymphatic invasion, including DDR1, COL4A5, COL4A6 and PDPN. Dual immunohistochemical staining further confirmed the spatial locations of DDR1 and PDPN in OSCC tissues indicative of collective cancer cell invasion. An elevated DDR1 expression at both the transcription and protein level was observed by treating keratinocytes with collagen of fibrillar or basement membrane types. In addition, inhibition of DDR1 kinase activity in OSCC TW2.6 cells disrupted cell cohesiveness in a 2D culture, reduced spheroid invasion in a collagen gel matrix, and suppressed angiolymphatic invasion in xenograft tissues. Taken together, these results suggest that collagen deposition in the affected tissues followed by DDR1 overexpression could be central to OSCC tumor growth and angiolymphatic invasion. Thus, DDR1 inhibitors are potential therapeutic compounds in restraining oral cancer, which has not been previously explored.

TNF-α-induced miR-450a mediates TMEM182 expression to promote oral squamous cell carcinoma motility.

Distant metastasis leads oral cancer patients into a poor survival rate and a high recurrence stage. During tumor progression, dysregulated microRNAs (miRNAs) have been reported to involve tumor initiation and modulate oral cancer malignancy. MiR-450a was significantly upregulated in oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) patients without functional reports. This study was attempted to uncover the molecular mechanism of novel miR-450a in OSCC. Mir-450a expression was examined by quantitative RT-PCR, both in OSCC cell lines and patients. Specific target of miR-450a was determined by software prediction, luciferase reporter assay, and correlation with target protein expression. The functions of miR-450a and TMEM182 were accessed by adhesion and transwell invasion analyses. Determination of the expression and cellular localization of TMEM182 was examined by RT-PCR and by immunofluorescence staining. The signaling pathways involved in regulation of miR-450a were investigated using the kinase inhibitors. Overexpression of miR-450a in OSCC cells impaired cell adhesion ability and induced invasiveness, which demonstrated the functional role of miR-450a as an onco-miRNA. Interestingly, tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α)-mediated expression of TMEM182 was regulated by miR-450a induction. MiR-450a-reduced cellular adhesion was abolished by TMEM182 restoration. Furthermore, the oncogenic activity of TNF-α/miR-450a/TMEM182 axis was primarily through activating extracellular signal-regulated kinase 1/2 (ERK1/2) signaling pathway. ERK1/2 inhibitor prevented the TNF-α-induced miR-450a expression and enhanced adhesion ability. Our data suggested that TNF-α-induced ERK1/2-dependent miR-450a against TMEM182 expression exerted a great influence on increasing OSCC motility. Overall, our results provide novel molecular insights into how TNF-α contributes to oral carcinogenesis through miR-450a that targets TMEM182.

MicroRNA-486-3p functions as a tumor suppressor in oral cancer by targeting DDR1.

BACKGROUND: Discoidin domain receptor-1 (DDR1) tyrosine kinase is highly expressed in a variety of human cancers and involved in various steps of tumorigenesis. However, the precise mechanisms underlying the abnormal expression of DDR1 in oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) has not been well investigated. METHODS: The expression of DDR1 on OSCC patients was determine by quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR) and immunohistochemistry. Specific targeting by miRNAs was determined by software prediction, luciferase reporter assay, and correlation with target protein expression. The functions of miR-486-3p and DDR1 were accessed by MTT and Annexin V analyses using gain- and loss-of-function approaches. Chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP) and methylation specific PCR (MSP) were performed to explore the molecular mechanisms by arecoline treatment. RESULTS: Here, we reported that DDR1 was significantly upregulated in OSCC tissues and its levels were inversely correlated with miR-486-3p expression. The experimental results in vitro confirmed that miR-486-3p decreased DDR1 expression by targeting the 3'-UTR of DDR1 mRNA. Overexpression of miR-486-3p led to growth inhibition and apoptosis induction with a similar function by knockdown of DDR1. Aberrant methylation of ANK1 promoter was a highly prevalent in OSCC and contributes to oral carcinogenesis by epigenetic silencing of ANK1 and miR-486-3p. We found that miR-486-3p can be transcriptionally co-regulated with its host gene ANK1 through epigenetic repression. DNA methylation inhibitor treatment re-expressed ANK1 and miR-486-3p. Importantly, arecoline, a major betel nut alkaloid, recruited DNMT3B binding to ANK1 promoter for DNA methylation and then attenuated the expression of miR-486-3p in OSCC. CONCLUSION: This study was the first to demonstrate that betel nut alkaloid may recruit DNMT3B to regulate miR-486-3p/DDR1 axis in oral cancer andmiR-486-3p and DDR1 may serve as potential therapeutic targets of oral cancer.