Akihiro Minami

Localization of nectin-free afadin at the leading edge and its involvement in directional cell movement induced by platelet-derived growth factor

Afadin is an actin-filament-binding protein that binds to nectin, an immunoglobulin-like cell-cell adhesion molecule, and plays an important role in the formation of adherens junctions. Here, we show that afadin, which did not bind to nectin and was localized at the leading edge of moving cells, has another role: enhancement of the directional, but not random, cell movement. When NIH3T3 cells were stimulated with platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF), afadin colocalized with PDGF receptor, αvβ3 integrin and nectin-like molecule-5 at the leading edge and facilitated the formation of leading-edge structures and directional cell movement in the direction of PDGF stimulation. However, these phenotypes were markedly perturbed by knockdown of afadin, and were dependent on the binding of afadin to active Rap1. Binding of Rap1 to afadin was necessary for the recruitment of afadin and the tyrosine phosphatase SHP-2 to the leading edge. SHP-2 was previously reported to tightly regulate the activation of PDGF receptor and its downstream signaling pathway for the formation of the leading edge. These results indicate that afadin has a novel role in PDGF-induced directional cell movement, presumably in cooperation with active Rap1 and SHP-2.

Interaction of Nectin-like Molecule 2 with Integrin α6β4 and Inhibition of Disassembly of Integrin α6β4 from Hemidesmosomes

In normal epithelial cells, integrin α6β4 is abundantly expressed and forms hemidesmosomes, which is a cellular structure that mediates cell-extracellular matrix binding. In many types of cancer cells, integrin α6β4 is up-regulated, laminin is cleaved, and hemidesmosomes are disrupted, eventually causing an enhancement of cancer cell movement and facilitation of their invasion. We previously showed that the immunoglobulin-like cell adhesion molecule Necl-2 (Nectin-like molecule 2), known as a tumor suppressor, inhibits cancer cell movement by suppressing the ErbB3/ErbB2 signaling. We show here that Necl-2 interacts in cis with integrin α6β4. The binding of Necl-2 with integrin β4 was mediated by its extracellular region. In human colorectal adenocarcinoma Caco-2 cells, integrin α6β4 was localized at hemidesmosomes. Small interfering RNA-mediated suppression of Necl-2 expression enhanced the phorbol ester-induced disruption of the integrin α6β4 complex at hemidesmosomes, whereas expression of Necl-2 suppressed the disruption of this structure. These results indicate that tumor-suppressive functions of Necl-2 are mediated by the stabilization of the hemidesmosome structure in addition to the inhibition of the ErbB3/ErbB2 signaling.

Reduction of the ST6 β-Galactosamide α-2,6-Sialyltransferase 1 (ST6GAL1)-catalyzed Sialylation of Nectin-like Molecule 2/Cell Adhesion Molecule 1 and Enhancement of ErbB2/ErbB3 Signaling by MicroRNA-199a

Background: Nectin-like molecule 2 (Necl-2) is a tumor suppressor and suppresses ErbB2/ErbB3 signaling. Results: MicroRNA-199a (miR-199a) targets the glycosylation enzyme ST6GAL1, reduces the sialylation of Necl-2, indirectly reduces the protein level of Necl-2, and enhances ErbB2/ErbB3 signaling. Conclusion: miR-199a indirectly regulates Necl-2 and enhances ErbB2/ErbB3 signaling. Significance: MicroRNAs regulate the glycosylation of plasma membrane proteins. Nectin-like molecule 2 (Necl-2)/cell adhesion molecule 1 (CADM1) is shown to be down-regulated by the promoter hypermethylation and/or loss of heterozygosity at chromosome 11q23.2 in many types of cancers, including lung and breast cancers, and is proposed to serve as a tumor suppressor. However, the incidence of these epigenetic and genetic abnormalities of Necl-2 is 30–60% in these cancers, and other mechanisms for the suppression of Necl-2 are presumed to be present. We previously showed that Necl-2 interacts in cis with ErbB3 and suppresses the heregulin (HRG)-induced ErbB2/ErbB3 signaling for cell movement and death. We studied here the relationship between Necl-2 and microRNA-199a (miR-199a) that is up-regulated or down-regulated in a variety of cancers. miR-199a did not directly target the Necl-2 mRNA or affect its mRNA level in human lung cancer A549 cells and human embryonic kidney HEK293 cells. Necl-2 was at least sialylated by the sialyltransferase ST6 β-galactosamide α-2,6-sialyltransferase 1 (ST6GAL1). miR-199a targeted ST6GAL1 and reduced both the sialylation and the protein level of Necl-2. In addition, miR-199a enhanced the HRG-induced ErbB2/ErbB3 signaling. These results indicate that the suppressive role of Necl-2 in the HRG-induced ErbB2/ErbB3 signaling is regulated by miR-199a at least through the reduction of the ST6GAL1-catalyzed sialylation of Necl-2 and/or through the reduction of the protein level of Necl-2 presumably by the protein degradation.

Absence of primary cilia in cell cycle-arrested human breast cancer cells

Previous studies using cultured cells showed that primary cilia are present in quiescent cells, but are absent in proliferating cells. We studied here the relationship between the presence or absence of primary cilia and the cell cycle arrest of normal epithelial cells and cancer cells in the human normal breast and breast cancer tissues. In normal breast tissues, although most epithelial cells were nonproliferating as estimated by the immunofluorescence staining of the proliferation marker Ki‐67, primary cilia were present only in 20–40% of the epithelial cells. In breast cancer tissues, primary cilia were not observed in any of the breast cancer cells. Furthermore, primary cilia were hardly observed in the nonproliferating cancer cells in the orthotopic and metastatic human breast cancer xenograft tumors in mice. These results indicate that the absence of primary cilia does not necessarily represent the proliferating phases of normal epithelial cells and cancer cells.

Necl-5/PVR enhances PDGF-induced attraction of growing microtubules to the plasma membrane of the leading edge of moving NIH3T3 cells.

Microtubules (MTs) search for and grow toward the leading edge of moving cells, followed by their stabilization at a specific structure at the rear site of the leading edge. This dynamic re‐orientation of MTs is critical to directional cell movement. We previously showed that Necl‐5/poliovirus receptor (PVR) interacts with platelet‐derived growth factor (PDGF) receptor and integrin αvβ3 at the leading edge of moving NIH3T3 cells, resulting in an enhancement of their directional movement. We studied here the role of Necl‐5 in the PDGF‐induced attraction of growing MTs to the leading edge of NIH3T3 cells. Necl‐5 enhanced the PDGF‐induced growth of MTs and attracted them near to the plasma membrane of the leading edge of NIH3T3 cells in an integrin αvβ3‐dependent manner. Furthermore, Necl‐5 enhanced the PDGF‐induced attraction of the plus‐end‐tracking proteins (+TIPs), including EB1, CLIP170, an intermediate chain subunit of cytoplasmic dynein, and p150Glued, a subunit of dynactin, near to the plasma membrane of the leading edge. Thus, Necl‐5 plays a role in the attraction of growing MTs to the plasma membrane of the leading edge of moving cells.

miR-214 and hypoxia down-regulate Necl-2/CADM1 and enhance ErbB2/ErbB3 signaling

Necl‐2/CADM1 is down‐regulated by the promoter hypermethylation and/or the loss of heterozygosity at chromosome 11q23.2 in many types of cancers and serves as a tumor suppressor by interacting in cis with ErbB3 and suppressing the ligand‐induced ErbB2/ErbB3 signaling for cell movement and death. However, the incidence of these epigenetic and genetic abnormalities of Necl‐2 is 30–60% in these cancers. We investigated here other mechanisms that down‐regulate Necl‐2. miR‐214, that is frequently up‐regulated in a variety of cancers, targeted the 3′UTR of the Necl‐2 mRNA directly, suppressed the translation of Necl‐2 and enhanced the ligand‐induced ErbB2/ErbB3 signaling in human colon cancer Caco‐2 cells. Hypoxia reduced the Necl‐2 protein level in a manner independent of miR‐214 or hypoxia‐inducible factor‐1α in Caco‐2 cells. These results indicate that miR‐214 and hypoxia are novel regulators that down‐regulate Necl‐2 and enhance ErbB2/ErbB3 signaling.

Suppression of the TGF-β1-induced protein expression of SNAI1 and N-cadherin by miR-199a

MicroRNA miR‐199a is clustered with miR‐214 on chromosome 1 and its expression is up‐regulated by various factors that are associated with epithelial‐to‐mesenchymal transition (EMT), such as a transcriptional repressor Twist1 and transforming growth factor (TGF)‐β. miR‐199a is either up‐regulated or down‐regulated in a variety of cancers, although EMT is associated with the progression of cancer. We found here that miR‐199a suppressed the translation of SNAI1, a transcriptional repressor that plays a role in EMT, by targeting the sequence within the 3′UTR of the SNAI1 mRNA, and reduced the protein level of SNAI1. miR‐199a increased the protein level of claudin‐1 in both the TGF‐β1‐treated and ‐untreated cells at least partly by decreasing the protein level of SNAI1, a transcriptional repressor for claudin‐1. In addition, miR‐199a targeted the sequence within the 3′UTR of the N‐cadherin mRNA and suppressed the TGF‐β1‐induced increase in the protein level of N‐cadherin in a manner independent of SNAI1. These results indicate that miR‐199a suppresses the TGF‐β1‐induced protein expression of SNAI1 and N‐cadherin.

Metabolomics-based search for therapeutic agents for non-alcoholic steatohepatitis

BACKGROUND Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is the commonest form of chronic liver disease in developed countries. Non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH), which represents advanced stage NAFLD, is increasingly being recognized as a major cause of liver-related morbidity and mortality. However, no effective drugs against NASH have yet been developed. Therefore, we searched for candidate therapeutic agents based on the changes in levels of hepatic metabolites via gas chromatography mass spectrometry (GC/MS)-based metabolome analysis of livers from methionine-choline deficient (MCD) diet-fed mice, a mouse model of NASH. METHODS The metabolites were extracted from the livers of the MCD diet-fed mice and then analyzed using GC/MS. Subsequently, the MCD diet-fed mice were supplemented with hypotaurine, and the therapeutic effects of hypotaurine against steatohepatitis were evaluated. RESULTS Ninety-nine metabolites were detected in the livers of the MCD diet-induced steatohepatitis model mice. Among these metabolites, hypotaurine exhibited the greatest decrease in its concentration in the mice. Supplementation with 2 mmol/kgBW hypotaurine attenuated liver injuries and fat accumulation caused by the MCD diet-induced steatohepatitis. Furthermore, 10 mmol/kgBW hypotaurine supplementation ameliorated fibrosis and oxidative stress induced by the MCD diet. CONCLUSION The present metabolome analysis-based study demonstrated that hypotaurine is a novel candidate therapeutic agent for NASH.

Downregulation of CXCR4 in metastasized breast cancer cells and implication in their dormancy

Our understanding of the mechanism of cancer dormancy is emerging, but the underlying mechanisms are not fully understood. Here we analyzed mouse xenograft tumors derived from human breast cancer tissue and the human breast cancer cell line MDA-MB-231 to identify the molecules associated with cancer dormancy. In immunohistological examination using the proliferation marker Ki-67, the tumors included both proliferating and dormant cancer cells, but the number of dormant cells was remarkably increased when they metastasized to the lung. In the gene expression analysis of the orthotopic cancer cells by a single-cell multiplex real-time quantitative reverse transcription PCR followed by flow cytometric analysis, restrained cellular proliferation was associated with downregulation of the chemokine receptor CXCR4. In the immunohistological and flow cytometric analyses, the expression level of CXCR4 in the metastasized cancer cells was decreased compared with that in the cancer cells in orthotopic tumors, although the expression level of the CXCR4 ligand CXCL12 was not reduced in the lung. In addition, the proliferation of the metastasized cancer cells was further decreased by the CXCR4 antagonist administration. In the ex vivo culture of the metastasized cancer cells, the expression level of CXCR4 was increased, and in the xenotransplantation of ex vivo cultured cancer cells, the expression level of CXCR4 was again decreased in the metastasized cancer cells in the lung. These findings indicate that CXCR4 is downregulated in metastasized breast cancer cells and implicated in their dormancy.

Quasispecies variant of pre-S/S gene in HBV-related hepatocellular carcinoma with HBs antigen positive and occult infection

BackgroundHepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) can develop in patients who are negative for the hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) in serum but positive for hepatitis B virus (HBV) DNA in the liver, referred to as occult HBV infection (OBI). Previous reports showed that HBV variants in OBI-related HCC are different from those in HBsAg-positive HCC. In the present study, HBV quasispecies based on the pre-S/S gene in OBI-related HCC patients were examined by high throughput sequencing and compared with those in HBsAg-positive HCC.MethodsNineteen tissue samples (9 OBI-related and 10 HBsAg-positive non-cancerous tissues) were collected at the time of surgery at Kobe University Hospital. The quasispecies with more than 1% variation in the pre-S/S region were isolated and analysed by ultra-deep sequencing.ResultsThere were no significant differences in the major HBV populations, which exhibit more than 20% variation within the entire pre-S/S region, between OBI-related HCC and HBsAg-positive HCC. However, the prevalences of major populations with pre-S2 region mutations and of minor populations with polymerized human serum albumin-binding domain mutations were significantly higher in OBI-related HCC than in HBsAg-positive HCC. Moreover, the major variant populations associated with the B-cell epitope, located within the pre-S1 region, and the a determinant domain, located in the S region, were detected frequently in HBsAg-positive HCC. The minor populations of variants harbouring the W4R, L30S, Q118R/Stop, N123D and S124F/P mutations in the pre-S region and the L21F/S and L42F/S mutations in the S region were detected more frequently in OBI-related HCC than in HBsAg-positive HCC.ConclusionsUltra-deep sequencing revealed that the B-cell epitope domain in the pre-S1 region and alpha determinant domain in the S region were variable in HBsAg-positive HCC, although the quasispecies associated with the pre-S2 region were highly prevalent in OBI-related HCC.Trial registrationRef: R000034382/UMIN000030113; Retrospectively registered 25 November 2017.