Hirotoshi Kikuchi

An integrative genomics approach identifies Hypoxia Inducible Factor-1 (HIF-1)-target genes that form the core response to hypoxia

The transcription factor Hypoxia-inducible factor 1 (HIF-1) plays a central role in the transcriptional response to oxygen flux. To gain insight into the molecular pathways regulated by HIF-1, it is essential to identify the downstream-target genes. We report here a strategy to identify HIF-1-target genes based on an integrative genomic approach combining computational strategies and experimental validation. To identify HIF-1-target genes microarrays data sets were used to rank genes based on their differential response to hypoxia. The proximal promoters of these genes were then analyzed for the presence of conserved HIF-1-binding sites. Genes were scored and ranked based on their response to hypoxia and their HIF-binding site score. Using this strategy we recovered 41% of the previously confirmed HIF-1-target genes that responded to hypoxia in the microarrays and provide a catalogue of predicted HIF-1 targets. We present experimental validation for ANKRD37 as a novel HIF-1-target gene. Together these analyses demonstrate the potential to recover novel HIF-1-target genes and the discovery of mammalian-regulatory elements operative in the context of microarray data sets.

HIF-1α and HIF-2α have divergent roles in colon cancer

Hypoxia‐inducible factor (HIF)‐1 and HIF‐2 are heterodimeric transcription factors that mediate the cellular response to hypoxia. Their key regulatory subunits, HIF‐1α and HIF‐2α, are induced similarly by hypoxia, but their functional roles in cancer may be distinct and isoform‐specific. SW480 colon cancer cells with stable expression of siRNA to HIF‐1α or HIF‐2α or both were established. HIF‐1α‐deficient cells displayed lower rates of proliferation and migration, but HIF‐2α‐deficient cells exhibited enhanced anchorage independent growth in a soft agar assay. Xenograft studies revealed that HIF‐1α deficiency inhibited overall tumor growth, whereas deficiency of HIF‐2α stimulated tumor growth. In human colon cancer tissues, expression of HIF‐1α and to a lesser extent, HIF‐2α, was linked to upregulation of VEGF and tumor angiogenesis. However, loss of expression of HIF‐2α but not HIF‐1α was strongly correlated with advanced tumor stage. DNA microarray analysis identified distinct sets of HIF‐1α and HIF‐2α target genes that may explain these phenotypic differences. Collectively, these findings suggest that HIF isoforms may have differing cellular functions in colon cancer. In particular, HIF‐1α promoted the growth of SW480 colon cancer cells but HIF‐2α appeared to restrain growth. Consequently, therapeutic approaches that target HIF may need to consider these isoform‐specific properties.

Oncogenic KRAS and BRAF Differentially Regulate Hypoxia-Inducible Factor-1α and -2α in Colon Cancer

KRAS and BRAF mutations are frequently observed in human colon cancers. These mutations occur in a mutually exclusive manner, and each is associated with distinctive biological features. We showed previously that K-ras can interact with hypoxia to activate multiple signaling pathways. Many hypoxic responses are mediated by hypoxia-inducible factor (HIF)-1alpha and HIF-2alpha, and we sought to define the roles of mutant KRAS and BRAF in the induction of HIF-1alpha and HIF-2alpha in colon cancer cells. Ectopic expression of mutant K-ras in Caco2 cells enhanced the hypoxic induction of only HIF-1alpha, whereas mutant BRAF enhanced both HIF-1alpha and HIF-2alpha. Knockout or knockdown of mutant KRAS in DLD-1 and HCT116 cells impaired the hypoxic induction of only HIF-1alpha. HIF-1alpha mRNA levels were comparable in cells with and without a KRAS mutation. However, the rate of HIF-1alpha protein synthesis was higher in cells with a KRAS mutation, and this was suppressed by the phosphoinositide 3-kinase inhibitor LY294002. In contrast, knockdown of mutant BRAF in HT29 cells suppressed both HIF-1alpha and HIF-2alpha. Although BRAF regulated mRNA levels of both HIF-1alpha and HIF-2alpha, knockdown of BRAF or treatment with the MEK inhibitor PD98059 impaired the translation of only HIF-2alpha. Our data reveal that oncogenic KRAS and BRAF mutations differentially regulate the hypoxic induction of HIF-1alpha and HIF-2alpha in colon cancer, and this may potentially contribute to the phenotypic differences of KRAS and BRAF mutations in colon tumors.

Epithelial to Mesenchymal Transition Is Impaired in Colon Cancer Cells With Microsatellite Instability

BACKGROUND & AIMS Colorectal cancers (CRCs) displaying DNA microsatellite instability (MSI) are associated with a favorable natural history, but the molecular basis for this observation has not been defined. We sought to determine whether the epithelial to mesenchymal transition (EMT) is impaired in MSI-positive CRCs that characteristically have a mutant transforming growth factor-beta receptor type II (TGFBR2) gene. METHODS The induction of EMT by transforming growth factor-beta1 (TGF-beta1) was analyzed by phase contrast microscopy, immunofluorescence, quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction, immunoblotting, and cellular migration, and invasion assays. Expression of EMT markers was evaluated by immunohistochemistry and quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction in a series of human colorectal tumors. RESULTS TGF-beta1 induced changes in cellular morphology, gene expression, motility, and invasion consistent with EMT in microsatellite stable (MSS) colon cancer cells, whereas cells with MSI and mutant TGFBR2 were unresponsive to TGF-beta1. These effects did not require Smad4, but depended on the recruitment of extracellular signal-regulated kinase. Tumor cells with MSI but wild-type TGFBR2 underwent EMT in response to TGF-beta1, indicating that TGFBR2 genotype is a key determinant of the EMT response in tumors with MSI. In human colorectal tumors, expression of EMT markers was significantly associated with adverse clinicopathologic features and the absence of MSI. CONCLUSIONS These findings define a unique genotype-phenotype relationship between TGFBR2 and EMT that may contribute to the improved prognosis consistently observed in colon cancers with MSI.

TSU68 Prevents Liver Metastasis of Colon Cancer Xenografts by Modulating the Premetastatic Niche

The aim of this study was to investigate the inhibitory effect of TSU68 [(Z)-5-[(1,2-dihydro-2-oxo-3H-indol-3-ylidene)methyl]-2,4-dimethyl-1H-pyrrole-3-propanoic acid; SU6668], an inhibitor of vascular endothelial growth factor receptor 2, platelet-derived growth factor receptor beta, and fibroblast growth factor receptor 1 (FGFR1), on colon cancer liver metastasis, and to test the hypothesis that TSU68 modulates the microenvironment in the liver before the formation of metastasis. First, we implanted the highly metastatic human colon cancer TK-4 orthotopically into the cecal walls of nude mice, followed by twice-daily administration of TSU68 (400 mg/kg/d) or vehicle. Five weeks of treatment with TSU68 significantly inhibited liver metastasis compared with the control group (P<0.001). Next, we analyzed the gene expression profile in premetastatic liver using microarrays. Microarray and quantitative reverse transcription-PCR analysis showed that mRNA levels for the chemokine CXCL1 were significantly increased in tumor-bearing mice compared with non-tumor-bearing mice. Moreover, CXCL1 expression was significantly decreased by TSU68 treatment. CXCR2 expression was detected predominantly on tumor cells in orthotopic tumors compared with ectopic tumors. The number of migrating neutrophils in premetastatic liver was significantly decreased in the TSU68-treated group (P<0.001). The amount of interleukin-12 (IL-12) p40 in the portal vein was significantly decreased by TSU68 (P=0.02). Blockade of both CXCR2 and IL-12 p40 with a neutralizing antibody significantly inhibited liver metastasis. These results suggest that the CXCL1/CXCR2 axis is important in cancer metastasis and that TSU68 may modulate the premetastatic niche in the target organ through suppression of the inflammatory response, which might be an alternative mechanism used by antiangiogenic agents.

Pirh2 Promotes Ubiquitin-Dependent Degradation of the Cyclin-Dependent Kinase Inhibitor p27Kip1

The cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitor p27(Kip1) is degraded in late G(1) phase by the ubiquitin-proteasome pathway, allowing cells to enter S phase. Due to accelerated degradation of p27(Kip1), various human cancers express low levels of p27(Kip1) associated with poor prognosis. S-phase kinase-associated protein 2, the F-box protein component of an SCF ubiquitin ligase complex, is implicated in degradation of p27(Kip1) during S-G(2) phases. Recently, Kip1 ubiquitination-promoting complex has been reported as another ubiquitin ligase that targets cytoplasmic p27(Kip1) exported from the nucleus in G(0)-G(1) phases. Here, we identified a RING-H2-type ubiquitin ligase, Pirh2, as a p27(Kip1)-interacting protein. Endogenous Pirh2 physically interacted with endogenous p27(Kip1) in mammalian cells. Pirh2 directly ubiquitinated p27(Kip1) in an intact RING finger domain-dependent manner in vivo, as well as in vitro. Ablation of endogenous Pirh2 by small interfering RNA increased the steady-state level of p27(Kip1) and decelerated p27(Kip1) turnover. Depletion of Pirh2 induced accumulation of p27(Kip1) in both the nucleus and cytoplasm. Pirh2 expression was induced from late G(1)-S phase, whereas p27(Kip1) was decreased in synchronization with accumulation of Pirh2. Furthermore, reduction of Pirh2 resulted in an impairment of p27(Kip1) degradation and an inhibition of cell cycle progression at G(1)-S transition in a p53-independent manner. Overall, the results indicate that Pirh2 acts as a negative regulator of p27(Kip1) function by promoting ubiquitin-dependent proteasomal degradation.

Up-regulation of GPR48 Induced by Down-regulation of p27Kip1 Enhances Carcinoma Cell Invasiveness and Metastasis

A reduced expression level of the cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitor p27(Kip1) is associated with increased tumor malignancy and poor prognosis in individuals with various types of cancer. To investigate the basis for this relation, we applied microarray analysis to screen for genes differentially expressed between p27(+/-) and parental (p27(+/+)) HCT116 human colon carcinoma cells. Expression of the gene for G protein-coupled receptor 48 (GPR48) was increased in the p27(+/-) cells. Forced expression of GPR48 increased both in vitro invasive activity and lung metastasis potency of HCT116 cells. In contrast, depletion of endogenous GPR48 by RNA interference reduced the invasive potential of HeLa and Lewis lung carcinoma cells not only in vitro but also in vivo. Moreover, GPR48 expression was significantly associated with lymph node metastasis and inversely correlated with p27 expression in human colon carcinomas. GPR48 may thus play an important role in invasiveness and metastasis of carcinoma and might therefore represent a potential prognostic marker or therapeutic target.

Degradation of Tob1 Mediated by SCFSkp2-Dependent Ubiquitination

Tob1, a member of the Tob/BTG family, is involved in the control of G(1)-S progression by suppressing cyclin D1 expression and acts as a tumor suppressor gene. Tob1 was reported to have a quick turnover through the ubiquitin-proteasome pathway, but proteins involved in this process are still unknown. We showed that Skp2, a substrate-targeting subunit of the SCF (Skp1/Cul1/F-box protein) ubiquitin ligase complex, was involved in ubiquitin-dependent degradation of Tob1. Skp2 interacted with Tob1 and facilitated ubiquitination of Tob1 in intact cells as well as in vitro. Skp2 mutants without the F-box or leucine rich repeat were not able to bind to Tob1 and did not enhance ubiquitination of Tob1. Tob1 was stabilized in both Skp2(-/-) mouse fibroblasts and Skp2 knockdown HeLa cells. Moreover, cyclin D1 expression was suppressed in Skp2 knockdown HeLa cells. These data suggest that Tob1 is a novel target for degradation by the SCF-Skp2 ubiquitin ligase.

Hypoxia Activates the K-Ras Proto-Oncogene to Stimulate Angiogenesis and Inhibit Apoptosis in Colon Cancer Cells

The KRAS proto-oncogene plays a key role in the development of many human tumors and is commonly activated by somatic mutation or signaling through specific growth factor receptors. However, the interaction between the micro-environment and K-ras activity has not been defined. Hypoxia invariably develops as tumors outgrow their supply of oxygen. A series of well-orchestrated cellular adaptations occur that stimulate angiogenesis and enhance survival of the tumor in hypoxic conditions. Our previous studies demonstrated that mutant KRAS alleles can interact with hypoxia to induce vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) in colon cancer. We sought to determine whether similar hypoxic responses are also present in tumors without a KRAS mutation. Hypoxia consistently increased the levels of activated, GTP-bound K-ras in colon cancer cell lines with a wild-type KRAS gene, and this depended upon the activation of c-Src. Inhibition of c-Src by PP2 treatment or siRNA knockdown blocked the hypoxic activation of K-ras. This activation of K-ras did not depend upon EGFR and resulted in the phosphorylation of Akt and induction of VEGF expression. In addition, activation of K-ras significantly blocked apoptosis in hypoxic conditions. These studies reveal a unique adaptive mechanism in hypoxia that activates K-ras signaling in the absence of a mutant KRAS oncogene.

Optical diagnosis of gastric cancer using near-infrared multichannel Raman spectroscopy with a 1064-nm excitation wavelength

BackgroundGastric cancer is one of the most common cancers in Japan. The use of endoscopy is increasing, along with the number of histological examinations of specimens obtained by endoscopy. However, it takes several days to reach a diagnosis, which increases the medical expense. Raman spectroscopy is one of the available optical techniques, and the Raman spectrum for each molecule and tissue is characteristic and specific. The present study investigated whether Raman spectroscopy can be used to diagnose gastric cancer.MethodsA total of 251 fresh biopsy specimens of gastric carcinoma and non-neoplastic mucosa were obtained from 49 gastric cancer patients at endoscopy. Without any pretreatment, the fresh specimens were measured with a near-infrared multichannel Raman spectroscopic system with an excitation wavelength of 1064 nm, and Raman spectra specific for the specimens were obtained. A principal component analysis (PCA) was performed to distinguish gastric cancer and non-neoplastic tissue, and a discriminant analysis was used to evaluate the accuracy of the gastric cancer diagnosis.ResultsThe Raman spectra for cancer specimens differed from those for non-neoplastic specimens, especially at around 1644 cm−1. Sensitivity was 66%, specificity was 73%, and accuracy was 70%. The accuracy of diagnosis using the single Raman scattering intensity at 1644 cm−1 was 70%, consistent with the PCA result.ConclusionsThe present results indicate that near-infrared multichannel Raman spectroscopy with a 1064-nm excitation wavelength is useful for gastric cancer diagnosis. Establishment of a Raman diagnostic system for gastric cancer may improve the clinical diagnosis of gastric cancer and be beneficial for patients.