Interaction between FAK/αB-crystalline is important for viability of the glioblastoma cells

Abstract Glioblastoma multiforme is a tumor of the central nervous system. Focal Adhesion Kinase (FAK) and αB-crystalline are two proteins involved in glioblastoma development. In this study, we investigated whether the FAK/αB-crystalline interaction is important for glioblastoma cells, we aimed to investigate the interaction of these two proteins in the glioblastoma multiforme cell line U87-MG. Two peptides named FP01 peptide (derived from αB-crystalline) and FP02 peptide (derived from FAK) were synthesized for this study. Treatment of U87-MG with the peptides FP01 and FP02 in the concentration at 50 µM reduced the viability cellular to around 41% and 51%, respectively. Morphological alterations in the cells treated with the peptides when compared to the control were observed. This study suggests that the interaction between FAK and αB-crystalline is important for the viability of glioblastoma cells.

Effects and Mechanism of LASP1 on Proliferation, Migration, and Apoptosis of Human Colorectal Cancer LOVO Cells / 肿瘤防治研究

Objective To explore the effects and mechanism of LASP1 gene expression on the proliferation, migration, and invasion of human colorectal cancer (LOVO) cells. Methods LASP1 overexpression plasmids and LASP1 interference plasmids were constructed and transfected to LOVO cells. qRT-PCR was used to detect LASP1 mRNA expression and validate the transfection. MTT method and Tunel staining were used to detect cell proliferation and apoptosis, respectively, and scratch test and Transwell test were employed to determine the migration and invasion abilities of cells. Western blot was applied to analyze the expression of LASP1, p-FAK/FAK, and p-AKT/AKT protein in cells. Results The plasmids were successfully transfected. LASP1 overexpression increased the proliferation, migration, and invasion of LOVO cells, decreased the apoptosis, and increased LASP1, p-FAK/FAK, p-AKT/AKT protein expression (P < 0.01). LASP1 knockdown reduced the proliferation, migration, and invasion of LOVO cells, increased the apoptosis, and decreased LASP1, p-FAK/FAK, and p-AKT/AKT protein expression (P < 0.01). Conclusion LASP1 positively regulates the FAK/AKT signaling pathway to promote the proliferation, migration, and invasion of LOVO cells.

Effect of Banxia Xiexintang-containing Intestinal Absorption Solution on Migration and Invasion of PMN-MDSCs in Gastric Cancer Microenvironment / 中国实验方剂学杂志

ObjectiveTo observe the effect of Banxia Xiexintang containing intestinal absorption solution （BXCIAS） on migration and invasion of polymorphonuclear myeloid-derived suppressor cells （PMN-MDSCs） in gastric cancer microenvironment. MethodThe complex solution （containing 0.63 g·mL-1 crude drug） was prepared. Gastric cancer cells were subjected to non-contact co-culture with PMN-MDSCs in Transwell chamber to create gastric cancer microenvironment. Cell counting kit-8 （CCK-8） assay was used to screen the optimal intervention concentration and time of BXCIAS on PMN-MDSCs for subsequent experiment. The blank group， model group， FAK inhibitor group， and BXCIAS groups （26%， 18%， and 10%） were designed. Scratch assay and Transwell assay were employed to detect the migration and invasion ability of PMN-MDSCs， and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay （ELISA） to measure the expression of vascular endothelial cell growth factor （VEGF） and matrix metalloproteinase-9 （MMP-9） in tumor microenvironment. The expression levels of PMN-MDSCs pathway-related proteins FAK， phosphorylated （p）-FAK， protein tyrosine kinase （Src）， and p-Src were detected by Western blot. ResultThe inhibition rates of PMN-MDSCs by 5%， 50%， 75%， and 100% BXCIAS at 48 h were higher than those at 24 h （P<0.05， P<0.01）. The inhibition rate of PMN-MDSCs by 50% BXCIAS at 72 h was lower than that at 48 h （P<0.01）， and the inhibition rates by 5% and 100% BXCIAS at 72 h were higher than those at 48 h （P<0.05， P<0.01）. There was no significant difference in the inhibition rate by other concentration levels at 48 h. The half-maximal inhibitory concentration （IC50） at 48 h was 18.09%， indicating that 18% BXCIAS and 48 h were the optimal concentration and time， respectively. The migration distance of PMN-MDSCs was large （P<0.01）， and the number of migrating and invading cells increased （P<0.01） in the mode group compared with those in the blank group. Compared with model group， FAK inhibitor and BXCIAS at different concentration decreased the migration distance of PMN-MDSCs （P<0.01）， and the number of migrating and invading cells （P<0.01）， especially the 26% BXCIAS （P<0.01）. The expression of PMN-MDSCs pathway-related proteins FAK， p-FAK， Src and p-Src （P<0.01） and the expression of VEGF and MMP-9 （P<0.01） were higher in the model group than in the blank group. Compared with model group， FAK inhibitor and BXCIAS （26%， 18%， 10%） decreased the expression of FAK， p-FAK， and Src （P<0.01）， and FAK inhibitor and 18% BXCIAS reduced the expression of p-Src （P<0.01）， and the expression of VEGF and MMP-9 （P<0.01）. ConclusionBXCIAS can inhibit the migration and invasion of PMN-MDSCs by down-regulating the expression of FAK， p-FAK， Src， and p-Src proteins in the FAK signaling pathway of PMN-MDSCs in gastric cancer microenvironment.

Focal adhesion kinase inhibition decreases cell viability and induces apoptosis of JAK2 V617F positive cells

Abstract Focal Adhesion Kinase (FAK) protein participates in proliferation, migration, cell survival, and apoptosis process. It has been described as overexpressed in several neoplasms being a promising target for therapy. BCR-ABL negative chronic Myeloproliferative Neoplasms (MPN) are clonal disorders characterized by the excess of proliferation and apoptosis resistance. The identification of the acquired JAK2 V617F mutation in MPN patients allowed a better understanding of pathogenesis. However, there is still no pharmacological treatment that leads all patients to molecular remission, justifying new studies. The present study aimed to evaluate FAK involvement in the viability and apoptosis of HEL and SET-2 cells, both JAK2 V617F positive cell lines. The FAK inhibitor PF 562,271 was used. Cell viability was determined using MTT assay and apoptosis verified by cleaved PARP, cleaved Caspase 3 and Annexin-V/PI staining detection. FAK inhibition significantly reduced HEL and SET-2 cells viability and induced apoptosis. Considering the role of JAK/STAT pathway in MPN, further investigation of FAK participation in the MPN cells proliferation and apoptosis resistance, as well as possible crosstalk between JAK and FAK and downstream pathways may contribute to the knowledge of MPN pathophysiology, the discovery of new molecular targets, and JAK inhibitors resistance mechanisms.

CTHRC1 promotes the migration and invasion of bladder cancer 5637 cells through activating the FAK-ERK1/2 signaling pathway / 中国肿瘤生物治疗杂志

@#[摘 要] 目的：探讨胶原三螺旋重复蛋白1（CTHRC1）在膀胱癌组织和细胞中的表达及其对膀胱癌5637细胞迁移和侵袭的影响及其机制。方法：利用TCGA和Arrayexpress数据库中膀胱癌基因表达数据，分析CTHRC1转录和翻译水平。收集2014年9月至2020年12月重庆医科大学附属第一医院手术切除的144例膀胱癌组织和25例全膀胱切除的癌旁组织标本，以及人膀胱癌细胞RT4、5637、T24、UMUC-3、TCCSUP和输尿管上皮永生化细胞SV-HUC-1。采用免疫组织化学染色法、qPCR法和WB法检测膀胱癌组织和细胞中CTHRC1的表达水平，通过Kaplan-Meier曲线分析CTHRC1表达对总生存期（OS）的影响。运用RNAi技术，敲降5637细胞CTHRC1表达后，通过细胞划痕实验和Transwell实验检测CTHRC1表达下调对5637细胞迁移和侵袭的影响。利用基因集富集分析（GSEA）预测CTHRC1相关的潜在信号通路，WB法检测敲降CTHRC1表达对FAK-ERK1/2通路相关蛋白表达的影响。结果：CTHRC1的转录和翻译水平在肌层浸润性膀胱癌（MIBC）组织和细胞中表达显著上调（均P<0.05），CTHRC1高表达组患者5年OS较低表达患者缩短（P<0.05）。干扰CTHRC1表达后，膀胱癌5637细胞迁移及侵袭能力均显著降低（均P<0.01）。GSEA预测显示，CTHRC1高表达组主要富集在黏着斑激酶（FAK）、肌动蛋白细胞骨架调节、FAK和ERK1/2信号通路。WB法实验结果表明，重组CTHRC1蛋白促进膀胱癌5637细胞FAK-ERK1/2信号通路活化（P<0.05或P<0.01）。结论：CTHRC1在MIBC中表达上调，且与膀胱癌患者不良预后密切相关；CTHRC1促进膀胱癌细胞迁移和侵袭，该过程可能与FAK-ERK1/2信号通路的激活有关。

Baicalein Mediated FAK Protein Regulates PI3K/Akt Signaling Pathway to Inhibit Proliferation and Migration of Gastric Cancer HGC-27 Cells / 中国实验方剂学杂志

ObjectiveTo study the possible molecular mechanism of baicalein （BAI）-mediated focal adhesion kinase （FAK） in the regulation of phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase/protein kinase B （PI3K/Akt） signaling pathway to inhibit the proliferation and migration of gastric cancer HGC-27 cells. MethodThe gastric epithelial GES-1 cells and gastric cancer HGC-27 cells were respectively treated with BAI （0， 5， 15， 25， and 50 μmol·L-1） for 48 h， and then methyl thiazolyl tetrazolium （MTT） assay was adopted to detect effect of BAI on cell proliferation. Western blot （WB） was employed to detect the expression of FAK and the proteins related to epithelial-mesenchymal transition （EMT） and PI3K signaling pathway after intervention with different concentrations of BAI. The HGC-27 cells stably overexpressing FAK were constructed with lentivirus-mediated transfection technique， and the transfection of FAK was detected through WB and green fluorescent protein （GFP）. The cells were divided into empty vector （NC） group， BAI group， FAK overexpression group， and BAI-treated FAK overexpression group， and cell proliferation activity was detected by MTT assay. The colony formation and cell migration were observed via colony formation assay and Transwell migration assay， respectively. The expression of proteins involved in EMT and PI3K signaling pathways were detected by Western blot. ResultCompared with the NC group， BAI （15， 25 and 50 μmol·L-1） inhibited the proliferation of HGC-27 cells in a dose-dependent manner （P<0.05， P<0.01） while did not affect that of GES-1 cells. BAI （5， 15 and 25 μmol·L-1） down-regulated the expression level of p-FAK （P<0.05， P<0.01）. Compared with NC group， FAK overexpression group showed up-regulated expression level of FAK in HGC-27 cells. The HGC-27 cells in both NC group and FAK overexpression group had green fluorescence. Compared with NC group， BAI inhibited the growth， colony formation， and migration， while FAK overexpression promoted those of HGC-27 cells. The treatment of FAK overexpression group with BAI inhibited the enhancement of cell proliferation and migration （P<0.05）. WB showed that compared with NC group， BAI （15， 25 μmol·L-1） significantly up-regulated the expression of E-cadherin protein and down-regulated that of Vimentin， Snail， p-PI3K， and p-Akt protein in HGC-27 cells （P<0.05， P<0.01）. Compared with NC group， FAK overexpression group showed down-regulated expression of E-cadherin， up-regulated expression of p-FAK， Vimentin， and Snail， and increased ratios of p-FAK/FAK， p-PI3K/PI3K and p-Akt/Akt （P<0.05）. This phenomenon would be reversed after BAI treatment. ConclusionBAI can affect the proliferation and migration of gastric cancer HGC-27 cells by mediating FAK to regulate PI3K/Akt signaling pathway.

TMEM16A inhibits angiotensin II-induced basilar artery smooth muscle cell migration in a WNK1-dependent manner

Vascular smooth muscle cell (VSMC) migration plays a critical role in the pathogenesis of many cardiovascular diseases. We recently showed that TMEM16A is involved in hypertension-induced cerebrovascular remodeling. However, it is unclear whether this effect is related to the regulation of VSMC migration. Here, we investigated whether and how TMEM16A contributes to migration in basilar artery smooth muscle cells (BASMCs). We observed that AngII increased the migration of cultured BASMCs, which was markedly inhibited by overexpression of TMEM16A. TMEM16A overexpression inhibited AngII-induced RhoA/ROCK2 activation, and myosin light chain phosphatase (MLCP) and myosin light chain (MLC20) phosphorylation. But AngII-induced myosin light chain kinase (MLCK) activation was not affected by TMEM16A. Furthermore, a suppressed activation of integrin

Role of FAK signaling in chagasic cardiac hypertrophy

Abstract Cardiac hypertrophy and dysfunction are a significant complication of chronic Chagas disease, with heart failure, stroke, and sudden death related to disease progression. Thus, understanding the signaling pathways involved in the chagasic cardiac hypertrophy may provide potential targets for pharmacological therapy. Herein, we investigated the implication of focal adhesion kinase (FAK) signaling pathway in triggering hypertrophic phenotype during acute and chronic T. cruzi infection. C57BL/6 mice infected with T. cruzi (Brazil strain) were evaluated for electrocardiographic (ECG) changes, plasma levels of endothelin-1 (ET-1) and activation of signaling pathways involved in cardiac hypertrophy, including FAK and ERK1/2, as well as expression of hypertrophy marker and components of the extracellular matrix in the different stages of T. cruzi infection (60-210 dpi). Heart dysfunction, evidenced by prolonged PR interval and decrease in heart rates in ECG tracing, was associated with high plasma ET-1 level, extracellular matrix remodeling and FAK signaling activation. Upregulation of both FAK tyrosine 397 (FAK-Y397) and serine 910 (FAK-S910) residues phosphorylation as well as ERK1/2 activation, lead to an enhancement of atrial natriuretic peptide gene expression in chronic infection. Our findings highlight FAK-ERK1/2 signaling as a regulator of cardiac hypertrophy in Trypanosoma cruzi infection. Both mechanical stress, induced by cardiac extracellular matrix (ECM) augment and cardiac overload, and ET-1 stimuli orchestrated FAK signaling activation with subsequent activation of the fetal cardiac gene program in the chronic phase of infection, highlighting FAK as an attractive target for Chagas disease therapy.

Anastrozole promotes implantation by altering the expression of paxillin and fak in rat luminal uterine epithelium / El anastrozol promueve la implantación alterando la expresión de paxilina y fak en el epitelio uterino luminal de rata

An alternative hyper-ovulator inducer to replace clomiphene citrate (CC) is needed as it is unsuitable for women with polycystic ovarian syndrome and is associated with low pregnancy rates. Anastrozole is an effective hyper-ovulator inducer, but has not been well researched. In order to determine the effectiveness of anastrozole as a hyper-ovulator inducer and to an extent compare it with CC in similar situations, this study ascertained the effects of these drugs on the expression of the focal adhesion proteins, paxillin and FAK, which are uterine receptivity markers in the surface luminal uterine epithelial cells of day 1 and day 6 pregnant Wistar rats. The results show that paxillin is localized in focal adhesions at the base of the uterine epithelial cells at day 1 of pregnancy whereas at day 6, paxillin disassembles from the basal focal adhesions and localizes and increases its expression apically. FAK is faintly expressed at the basal aspect of the uterine epithelial cells while moderately expressed at the cell-to-cell contact at day 1 in all groups from where it disassembles and relocates apically and becomes more intensely expressed at day 6 of pregnancy in untreated and anastrozole treated rats. Although paxillin is localized apically at day 6, its expression is significantly down-regulated with CC treatment suggesting its interference with the implantation process. These findings seem to suggest that anastrozole could favor implantation.

Para reemplazar el citrato de clomifeno (CC) es necesario un inductor de hiperovulación alternativo, ya que no es adecuado para mujeres con síndrome de ovario poliquístico y está asociado con tasas bajas de embarazo. El anastrozol es un inductor eficaz del hiper-ovulador, pero no se ha investigado adecuadamente. Con el fin de determinar la efectividad del anastrozol como inductor del hiper-ovulador y, en cierta medida, compararlo con CC en situaciones similares, este estudio determinó los efectos de estos fármacos en la expresión de las proteínas de adhesión focal, paxillin y FAK, uterinas marcadores de receptividad en la superficie luminal de células uterinas epiteliales, del día 1 y día 6 en ratas Wistar preñadas. Los resultados muestran que la paxilina se localiza en adherencias focales en la base de las células epiteliales uterinas en el día 1 del embarazo, mientras que en el día 6, la paxilina se desmonta de las adherencias focales basales y localiza y aumenta su expresión apicalmente. FAK se expresa débilmente en el aspecto basal de las células epiteliales uterinas, mientras que se expresa moderadamente en el contacto de célula a célula en el día 1 en todos los grupos, donde se separa y se reubica apicalmente y se expresa con mayor intensidad el día 6 de la preñez, en pacientes no tratados y tratados. ratas tratadas con anastrozol. Aunque la paxillina se localiza apicalmente en el día 6, su expresión está significativamente disminuida con el tratamiento con CC, lo que sugiere su interferencia con el proceso de implantación. Estos hallazgos sugieren que el anastrozol podría favorecer el proceso de implantación.

Afzelin inhibits migration of MDA-MB-231 cells by suppressing FAK expression and Rac1 activation

Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) has the worst prognosis and the highest rate of metastasis among other types ofbreast cancer. These characteristics are supported by the dysregulation of focal adhesion kinase (FAK) and Rac1 whichare the key players of mesenchymal cell migration on TNBC. Afzelin is a secondary metabolite that is contained ina variety of plants. This study explored the anti-migration effect of afzelin and its interaction with FAK and Rac1 onthe highly invasive TNBC cell line, MDA-MB-231. Cell viability was assessed by 3-(4,5-dimethyl 2-thiazolyl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide assay, and cell migration was evaluated using in vitro scratch assay. Rac1 activation wasanalyzed using the colorimetric assay, while vinculin and actin filaments were stained through immunofluorescence. Thequantity of total FAK and phosphorylated FAK tyr397 was detected by Western blotting. Afzelin decreased cell viabilityand inhibited two-dimensional cell migration in a dose-dependent manner. Under confocal laser scanning microscopy,vinculin localization at the cell edge demonstrated a reduction of focal adhesion formation by afzelin. Further explorationshowed that afzelin decreased FAK expression but did not affect FAK phosphorylation at tyr397. In addition, afzelindecreased Rac1-GTPase activation, which is a downstream effector of FAK. Taken together, these results suggest thatafzelin suppresses TNBC cell migration, through inhibition of FAK expression and Rac1-GTPase activation.

Extracellular signal regulated kinase 5 promotes cell migration, invasion and lung metastasis in a FAK-dependent manner

This study was designed to evaluate ERK5 expression in lung cancer and malignant melanoma progression and to ascertain the involvement of ERK5 signaling in lung cancer and melanoma. We show that ERK5 expression is abundant in human lung cancer samples, and elevated ERK5 expression in lung cancer was linked to the acquisition of increased metastatic and invasive potential. Importantly, we observed a significant correlation between ERK5 activity and FAK expression and its phosphorylation at the Ser

P38/akt pathway regulates the oriented differentiation of bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells in nanofiber annulus fibrosus scaffolds with different spatial structures / 中国组织工程研究

BACKGROUND: Previous studies have shown that a variety of materials can be used for the construction of tissue engineering scaffolds. The topological structure of the scaffold surface has a regulatory effect on the biological behaviors such as stem cell proliferation and differentiation, but the specific mechanism is still unclear. OBJECTIVE: To investigate the role of P38 and Akt pathways in the oriented differentiation of bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells in nanofiber scaffolds. METHODS: Three kinds of nanofiber scaffolds (AFS, AYS, 3-DPS) with different structures were constructed. Rat bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells were inoculated on the surface of three kinds of nanofiber scaffolds. After osteogenic induction, cell morphology, adhesion and proliferation were detected. mRNA expression levels of key phenotype molecules (COLIα1, COLIIα1, Aggrecan, Sox-9) were measured using qRT-PCR. Intracellular P38, AKT, ERK1/2 and JNK expression was detected by western blot assay. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: After 4 and 8 hours of culture, cell adhesion rate of the 13-DPS scaffold group was higher than that of the AFS and AYS scaffold groups (P<0.05). After 7 days of culture, cells of the 13-DPS scaffold group proliferated faster than those of AFS and AYS scaffold groups (P<0.05). Bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells adhered firmly and grew well on three kinds of scaffolds. Fibroblast-like growth was observed on the AFS and AYS scaffolds and chondrocyte-like growth was observed on the 3-DPS scaffold. After 3 weeks of cartilage induction, mRNA expression of COLIIα1, Aggrecan and Sox-9 was higher, and the mRNA expression of COLIα1 was lower, in the 3-DPS scaffold group compared with the other two groups (both P<0.05). After 3 weeks of cartilage induction, relative expression level of p-AKT and p-P38 in the 3-DPS scaffold group was significantly higher than that in the other two groups (both P<0.05). There were no significant differences in AKT total protein and ERK1/2, JNK, P38, p-ERK1/2, p-JNK and p-P38 protein expression levels among three groups. These findings suggest that nanofiber annulus fibrosus scaffolds with different spatial structures can induce the oriented differentiation of bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells through the P38 and AKT pathway, which were the downstream of the Integrin-FAK signaling pathway.

G0/G1 Switch 2 Induces Cell Survival and Metastasis through Integrin-Mediated Signal Transduction in Human Invasive Breast Cancer Cells

Human breast cancer cell line, MDA-MB-231, is highly invasive and aggressive, compared to less invasive cell line, MCF-7. To explore the genes that might influence the malignancy of MDA-MB-231, DNA microarray analysis was performed. The results showed that G0/G1 switch 2 (G0S2) was one of the most highly expressed genes among the genes upregulated in MDA-MB-231. Although G0S2 acts as a direct inhibitor of adipose triglyceride lipase, action of G0S2 in cancer progression is not yet understood. To investigate whether G0S2 affects invasiveness of MDA-MB-231 cells, G0S2 expression was inhibited using siRNA, which led to decreased cell proliferation, migration, and invasion of MDA-MB-231 cells. Consequently, G0S2 inhibition inactivated integrin-regulated FAK-Src signaling, which promoted Hippo signaling and inactivated ERK1/2 signaling. In addition, G0S2 downregulation decreased β-catenin expression, while E-cadherin expression was increased. It was demonstrated for the first time that G0S2 mediates the Hippo pathway and induces epithelial to mesenchymal transition (EMT). Taken together, our results suggest that G0S2 is a major factor contributing to cell survival and metastasis of MDA-MB-231 cells.

Cinobufagin suppresses metastasis and invasion of esophageal carcinoma Kyse-520 cells through FAK/PI3K/AKT pathway / 中国药理学通报

Aim To investigate the effect of cinobufagin on the migration and invasion of esophageal cancer Kyse-520 cells, and to explore the underlying molecular mechanism. Methods The rates of inhibition after treated with different concentrations of cinobufagin 12, 24, 48 h were detected by CCK-8 method, and the changes of cell migration and invasion were observed with wound healing and transwell assay. The mRNA expressions of FAK, Akt, PTEN, VEGF-A, MMP-2 and MMP-9 were detected by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction ( RT-qPCR ). The protein expressions of FAK, p-FAK ( Tyr397 ), Akt, p-Akt (Sei473 ), VEGF-A, PTEN, MMP-2 and MMP-9 were measured by Western blot. Results The results of CCK-8 showed that cinobufagin could inhibit the proliferation of Kyse-520 cells in a time- and concentration-dependent manner, and cinobufagin significantly inhibited the cell invasion and migration. Meanwhile, data from RT-qPCR and Western blot suggested that cinobufagin had no significant effect on mRNA and total protein of FAK and Akt, but it reduced the expression of p-FAK(Tyr397), p-Akt(Ser473), VEGF- A, MMP-2 and MMP-9, and increased the PTEN expression. Conclusions Cinobufagin significantly inhibits the invasion and migration of esophageal cancer Kyse-520 cells through inducing PTEN expression and down-regulating FAK/PI3K/AKT pathway.

PEP06 polypeptide 30 is a novel cluster-dissociating agent inhibiting v integrin/FAK/Src signaling in oral squamous cell carcinoma cells

Collectively migrating tumor cells have been recently implicated in enhanced metastasis of epithelial malignancies. In oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC), v integrin is a crucial mediator of multicellular clustering and collective movement ; however, its contribution to metastatic spread remains to be addressed. According to the emerging therapeutic concept, dissociation of tumor clusters into single cells could significantly suppress metastasis-seeding ability of carcinomas. This study aimed to investigate the anti-OSCC potential of novel endostatin-derived polypeptide PEP06 as a cluster-dissociating therapeutic agent . Firstly, we found marked enrichment of v integrin in collectively invading multicellular clusters in human OSCCs. Our study revealed that metastatic progression of OSCC was associated with augmented immunostaining of v integrin in cancerous lesions. Following PEP06 treatment, cell clustering on fibronectin, migration, multicellular aggregation, anchorage-independent survival and colony formation of OSCC were significantly inhibited. Moreover, PEP06 suppressed v integrin/FAK/Src signaling in OSCC cells. PEP06-induced loss of active Src and E-cadherin from cell-cell contacts contributed to diminished collective migration of OSCC . Overall, these results suggest that PEP06 polypeptide 30 inhibiting v integrin/FAK/Src signaling and disrupting E-cadherin-based intercellular junctions possesses anti-metastatic potential in OSCC by acting as a cluster-dissociating therapeutic agent.

Cucurbitacin B suppresses metastasis mediated by reactive oxygen species (ROS) via focal adhesion kinase (FAK) in breast cancer MDA-MB-231 cells / 中国天然药物

Metastasis is responsible for the majority of cancer-related deaths and prevention of metastasis remains a big challenge for cancer therapy. Cucurbitacin B (Cuc B) is a natural triterpenoid with potent anticancer activities while its effect on metastasis remains unclear. In the present study, the inhibitory effect and mechanisms of Cuc B on metastasis were investigated in MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cells. The cells were treated with or without Cuc B, and the cytotoxicity was determined by MTT assay. The effect of Cuc B on metastasis was evaluated with wound healing, transwell, and adhesion assays. Furthermore, the adhesion of cancer cells to endothelial cells was determined. The protein expression was determined by Western blotting. Cuc B (< 100 nmol·L) showed no obvious cytotoxicity to MDA-MB-231 cells, but significantly inhibited migration, invasion, and adhesion to Matrigel, fibronectin, type I collagen, and endothelial cells. Cuc B dramatically inhibited the phosphorylation of focal adhesion kinase (FAK) and paxillin in dose- and time-dependent manners. Furthermore, Cuc B induced intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation, which could be reduced by N-acetyl-l-cysteine (NAC). In addition, NAC pretreatment could reverse Cuc B-induced suppression of migration and adhesion, expression of FAK, but showed no effect on paxillin expression. In summary, Cuc B suppressed ROS-dependent metastasis through FAK pathway in breast cancer MDA-MB-231 cells, demonstrating novel mechanisms for the anticancer effects of Cuc B.

Cucurbitacin B suppresses metastasis mediated by reactive oxygen species (ROS) via focal adhesion kinase (FAK) in breast cancer MDA-MB-231 cells / 中国天然药物

Metastasis is responsible for the majority of cancer-related deaths and prevention of metastasis remains a big challenge for cancer therapy. Cucurbitacin B (Cuc B) is a natural triterpenoid with potent anticancer activities while its effect on metastasis remains unclear. In the present study, the inhibitory effect and mechanisms of Cuc B on metastasis were investigated in MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cells. The cells were treated with or without Cuc B, and the cytotoxicity was determined by MTT assay. The effect of Cuc B on metastasis was evaluated with wound healing, transwell, and adhesion assays. Furthermore, the adhesion of cancer cells to endothelial cells was determined. The protein expression was determined by Western blotting. Cuc B (< 100 nmol·L) showed no obvious cytotoxicity to MDA-MB-231 cells, but significantly inhibited migration, invasion, and adhesion to Matrigel, fibronectin, type I collagen, and endothelial cells. Cuc B dramatically inhibited the phosphorylation of focal adhesion kinase (FAK) and paxillin in dose- and time-dependent manners. Furthermore, Cuc B induced intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation, which could be reduced by N-acetyl-l-cysteine (NAC). In addition, NAC pretreatment could reverse Cuc B-induced suppression of migration and adhesion, expression of FAK, but showed no effect on paxillin expression. In summary, Cuc B suppressed ROS-dependent metastasis through FAK pathway in breast cancer MDA-MB-231 cells, demonstrating novel mechanisms for the anticancer effects of Cuc B.

The impact of FAK gene silencing on the proliferation and migration of human tongue squamous cell carcinoma cell lines CAL-27 / 实用医学杂志

Objective To explore the effect of silencing focal adhesion kinase (FAK) gene on the proliferation and migration of human tongue squamous cell carcinoma cell lines CAL-27.Methods The siRNA interference technology was used to complete the construction of FAK siRNA by transient transfection.CAL-27 cells were divided into the experiment group,the negative control group and blank control group.The expressions of FAK mRNA and protein were detected by qPCR and Western blotting respectively.The cell proliferation ability was tested by using MTT assay.The cell migration ability was detected by using Transwell chamber assay.Results The expression level of FAK mRNA and protein in experiment group was lower than that in blank control group and negative control group,the difference was significant (PinRNA ＜ 0.01,Pprolein ＜ 0.05).Compared with negative control group and blank control group,the proliferation ability of cells in experiment group was obviously decreased at 48 h and 72 h (P ＜ 0.01).Transwell chamber migration assay showed,the average number of migrating cells in experimnet group group was lower than that in blank control group and negative control group,the difference was significant (P ＜ 0.05).Conclusions FAK gene silencing can significantly inhibit the proliferation ability and migration ability of human tongue squamous cell carcinoma cell lines CAL-27.

Effect of Osteopontin on Nuclear Mechanics of Bone Marrow Mesenchymal Stem Cells and Its Involved Molecular Mechanisms / 医用生物力学

Objective To study the effects of osteopontin (OPN) on the nuclear mechanics of bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs) as well as its involved mechanisms. Methods The BMSC migration was evaluated using the Transwell assay. An atomic force microscope (AFM) was used to determine the elastic modulus of the BMSC nucleus and analyze the changes in the nuclear mechanics of the BMSCs after treatment with OPN. The activation of focal adhesion kinase (FAK) and extracellular signal-regulated kinase1/2 (ERK1/2) was measured by Western blot. The role of the FAK-ERK1/2 signaling pathway in mediating the OPN-affected BMSC nuclear mechanics was investigated by employing a specific inhibitor. RT-PCR and Western blot were used to detect the expression of Lamin A/C at mRNA and protein levels in the BMSCs, respectively. Results The elastic modulus of the BMSC nucleus exhibited a significant decrease after OPN treatment compared with that of the control group. OPN could upregulate the phosphorylation level of FAK and ERK1/2, but the inhibitor of FAK or ERK1/2 restored the OPN-decreased elastic modulus of the BMSC nucleus and inhibited the BMSC migration significantly. After treatment with OPN, the expression of Lamin A/C in the BMSCs reduced significantly, and such a reduced expression could be suppressed by the inhibitor of FAK or ERK1/2. Conclusions OPN could probably downregulate the expression of Lamin A/C of the BMSCs via the FAK-ERK1/2 signaling pathway, decrease the stiffness of the BMSC nucleus, and promote the migration of the BMSCs. The research outcomes provide the experimental evidence for further understanding the mechanism of the OPN-regulated BMSC migration and its potential clinical application.

Baicalein inhibits the proliferation and invasion of oral squamous cell carcinoma and its possible signaling pathway / 中国应用生理学杂志

OBJECTIVE@#To investigate the relationship between the anti-proliferation effect of baicalein and extracellular signal-regulated kinase and focal adhesion kinase(ERK-FAK) signal pathway in oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC).@*METHODS@#The study included two parts and each part contained 4 groups, including control, 20 μmol/L BAI, 40 μmol/L BAI, 80 μmol/L BAI or control, 40 μmol/L BAI, MEK inhibitor(0.33 nmol/L),MEK inhibitor(0.33 nmol/L)+40 μmol/L BAI.Each group was treated in triplicate for 24 hours and 48 hours.Cell counting kit-8 (CCK8) was used to detect the inhibitory effect of baicalein; Polymerase chain reaction(PCR) and Western blot were used to analysis the effect of Baicalein on E-cadherin and Vimentin. The expressions of extracellular signal-regulated kinase(ERK), phosphorylated (p-ERK), focal adhesion kinase (FAK) and phosphorylated focal adhesion kinase(p-FAK) were detected by Western blot. The regulatory effect of MEK inhibitor(U0126) on Baicalein was tested by Western blot assay.@*RESULTS@#The survival rate of cells treated with BAI is much lower than that of control group(<0.01); the mRNA and protein levels of E-cadherin were obviously higher than those of control group, while the mRNA and protein levels of Vimentin were lower than those of control group(<0.01).The protein levels of p-ERK and p-FAK treated with BAI were much lower than those of control group(<0.01), but the total ERK and FAK had no obvious changes (<0.05).The protein level of E-cadherin treated with MEK inhibitor was higher than that of control group(<0.01) and the protein levels of Vimentin, p-ERK and p-FAK were lower than those of control group (<0.01), while the total protein levels of ERK and FAK were the same(<0.05).@*CONCLUSIONS@#Baicalein can inhibit the proliferation and invasiveness of OSCC, which may be mediated by ERK-FAK signal pathway.