Meng Ru Shen

Calcium store sensor stromal-interaction molecule 1-dependent signaling plays an important role in cervical cancer growth, migration, and angiogenesis.

Store-operated Ca2+ entry (SOCE) is the principal Ca2+ entry mechanism in nonexcitable cells. Stromal-interaction molecule 1 (STIM1) is an endoplasmic reticulum Ca2+ sensor that triggers SOCE activation. However, the role of STIM1 in regulating cancer progression remains controversial and its clinical relevance is unclear. Here we show that STIM1-dependent signaling is important for cervical cancer cell proliferation, migration, and angiogenesis. STIM1 overexpression in tumor tissue is noted in 71% cases of early-stage cervical cancer. In tumor tissues, the level of STIM1 expression is significantly associated with the risk of metastasis and survival. EGF-stimulated cancer cell migration requires STIM1 expression and EGF increases the interaction between STIM1 and Orai1 in juxta-membrane areas, and thus induces Ca2+ influx. STIM1 involves the activation of Ca2+-regulated protease calpain, as well as Ca2+-regulated cytoplasmic kinase Pyk2, which regulate the focal-adhesion dynamics of migratory cervical cancer cells. Because of an increase of p21 protein levels and a decrease of Cdc25C protein levels, STIM1-silencing in cervical cancer cells significantly inhibits cell proliferation by arresting the cell cycle at the S and G2/M phases. STIM1 also regulates the production of VEGF in cervical cancer cells. Interference with STIM1 expression or blockade of SOCE activity inhibits tumor angiogenesis and growth in animal models, confirming the crucial role of STIM1-mediated Ca2+ influx in aggravating tumor development in vivo. These results make STIM1-dependent signaling an attractive target for therapeutic intervention.

Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition in Cervical Cancer: Correlation with Tumor Progression, Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor Overexpression, and Snail Up-Regulation

Purpose: Acquisition of epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) by primary carcinoma cells is associated with disrupted epithelial integrity, local invasion, and ultimately metastasis. Little is known about the existence and function of EMT in cervical cancer. This study aims to investigate the regulation of EMT in cervical squamous cell carcinoma. Experimental Design: We investigated the molecular events of EMT in surgical specimens, which present the progression of cervical carcinoma. Two cervical cancer cell lines and the primary culture of normal cervical epithelia were used to study the regulatory mechanisms of EMT. Results: The chronic epidermal growth factor (EGF) treatment induces the elongation of cell shape, increases cell scattering, and enhances cell invasion. EGF treatment down-regulates E-cadherin and up-regulates vimentin in cervical cancer cells. These characteristics are consistent with the morphologic changes, molecular events, and functional significance of EMT. EGF receptor (EGFR) signaling inactivates glycogen synthase kinase-3β, which results in the nuclear accumulation of up-regulated Snail and then leads to EMT program. α5β1 integrin signaling and extracellular matrix fibronectin can modulate EGF-induced EMT. Importantly, the immunofluorescent stainings of surgical specimens indicate that cervical carcinoma progression is accompanied by EGFR overexpression, which is in parallel with decreased E-cadherin and increased vimentin. Up-regulation and nuclear accumulation of Snail correlate with EMT program in tumor tissues. Conclusion: EGF cooperates with α5β1 integrin signaling to induce EMT in cervical cancer cells via up-regulated Snail. Blockade of EGFR activity or expression may provide a potential target for the treatment of cervical cancer progression.

Remodeling of calcium signaling in tumor progression

Intracellular Ca2+ is one of the crucial signalings that modulate various cellular functions. The dysregulation of Ca2+ homeostasis has been suggested as an important event in driving the expression of the malignant phenotypes, such as proliferation, migration, invasion, and metastasis. Cell migration is an early prerequisite for tumor metastasis that has a significant impact on patient prognosis. During cell migration, the exquisite spatial and temporal organization of intracellular Ca2+ provides a rapid and robust way for the selective activation of signaling components that play a central role in cytoskeletal reorganization, traction force generation, and focal adhesion dynamics. A number of known molecular components involved in Ca2+ influx pathways, including stromal interaction molecule (STIM)/Orai-mediated store-operated Ca2+ entry (SOCE) and the Ca2+-permeable transient receptor potential (TRP) channels, have been implicated in cancer cell migration and tumor metastasis. The clinical significance of these molecules, such as STIM proteins and the TRPM7 channel, in tumor progression and their diagnostic and prognostic potentials have also been demonstrated in specific cancer types. In this review, we summarize the recent advances in understanding the important roles and regulatory mechanisms of these Ca2+ influx pathways on malignant behaviors of tumor cells. The clinical implications in facilitating current diagnostic and therapeutic procedures are also discussed.

The KCl cotransporter isoform KCC3 can play an important role in cell growth regulation.

The KCl cotransporter (KCC) plays a significant role in the ionic and osmotic homeostasis of many cell types. Four KCC isoforms have been cloned. KCC1 and KCC4 activity is osmolality-sensitive and involved in volume regulation. KCC2, a neuronal-specific isoform, can lower intracellular Cl− and is critical for inhibitory GABA responses in the mature central nervous system. KCC3, initially cloned from vascular endothelial cells, is widely but not universally distributed and has an unknown physiological significance. Here we show a tight link between the expression and activity of KCC3 and cell growth by a NIH/3T3 fibroblast expression system. KCC3 activity is sensitive to [(dihydroindenyl)oxy] alkanoic acid (DIOA) and N-ethylmaleimide and is regulated by tyrosine phosphorylation. Osmotic swelling does not activate KCC3, and the process of regulatory volume decrease is refractory to DIOA, indicating that KCC3 is not involved in volume regulation. KCC3 expression enhances cell proliferation, and this growth advantage can be abolished by the inhibition of KCC3 by DIOA. Fluorescence-activated cell sorting measurements and Western blot analysis show DIOA caused a significant reduction of the cell fraction in proliferative phase and a change in phosphorylation of retinoblastoma protein (Rb) and cdc2, suggesting that KCC3 activity is important for cell cycle progression. Insulin-like growth factor-1 up-regulates KCC3 expression and stimulates cell growth. Tumor necrotic factor-α down-regulates KCC3 expression and causes growth arrest. These data indicate that KCC3 is an important KCC isoform that may be involved in cell proliferation.

Sumoylation of Specificity Protein 1 Augments Its Degradation by Changing the Localization and Increasing the Specificity Protein 1 Proteolytic Process

Although specificity protein 1 (Sp1) accumulation has been found in various tumor strains, its mechanism is still not very clear. Herein, we found that modification of Sp1 by SUMO-1 facilitates Sp1 degradation. Our findings revealed that, although the amounts of Sp1 and Sp1 mutant (K16R) [Sp1(K16R)] mRNA in cells were equal, the protein level of Sp1(K16R) was higher than that of wild-type Sp1. We also proved that this sumoylation site was not the residue at which ubiquitination occurred. Invitro and in vivo pull-down assays revealed that more sumoylated Sp1 was localized in the cytoplasm, and the interaction between SUMO-1-Sp1 and the proteasome subunit rpt6 in HeLa cells was enhanced. In addition, although Sp1 accumulated in the tumorous cervical tissue, it was not prone to sumoylation. Finally, by overexpression of HA (hemagglutinin)-SUMO-1-Sp1-myc, HA-Sp1-myc, and HA-Sp1(K16R), we found that modification of Sp1 by SUMO-1 was important for Sp1 proteolysis. In conclusion, modification of Sp1 by SUMO-1 altered its localization and then increased its interaction with rpt6. This interaction increased the efficiency of Sp1 proteolytic processing and ubiquitination and then resulted in Sp1 degradation. Therefore, sumoylation of Sp1 is attenuated during tumorigenesis in order to increase Sp1 stability.

EGF upregulates Na+/H+ exchanger NHE1 by post-translational regulation that is important for cervical cancer cell invasiveness

Na+/H+ exchanger 1 (NHE1) is involved in cell migration but little is known about the signal pathways that regulate NHE1 activity and that are associated with tumor cell invasiveness. This study is to investigate the mechanisms by which epidermal growth factor (EGF) regulates NHE1 expression to promote cervical cancer cell invasiveness and the clinical significance in early‐stage cervical cancer. NHE1 protein was scanty in normal or noncancerous cervical tissues of all surgical specimens examined (n = 92). Tumor tissues clearly expressed NHE1 protein with different amounts. The differential expression level of NHE1 is associated with the clinical outcome. NHE1 protein was also differentially expressed between normal cervical epithelial cells and two cervical cancer cell lines. Cervical cancer cells benefit some enhanced cellular functions from NHE1 abundance, such as cell volume regulation, migration, and invasion. Interestingly, NHE1 colocalized with EGF in cervical cancer tissues. Studies in cell culture systems indicated that EGF‐stimulated NHE1 abundance in a time‐dependent manner by post‐translational regulation. This implies a likely autocrine or paracrine EGF stimulation of NHE1 production in vivo. In addition, the phosphoinositide 3‐kinase pathway is the dominant signal controlling EGF‐stimulated NHE1 abundance. Pharmacological inhibition of NHE1 activity markedly inhibited the basal and EGF‐stimulated cervical cancer cell migration. Image studies and immunoprecipitaion experiments suggest that EGF‐induced NHE1 translocation to the leading‐edge lamellipodia, where NHE1 interacted with actin‐associated protein Ezrin, thereby remodeling cytoskeleton and stimulating cervical cancer cell migration. In conclusion, EGF upregulates NHE1 by post‐translational regulation that is important for cervical cancer cell invasiveness. J. Cell. Physiol. 214: 810–819, 2008.

KCl cotransport is an important modulator of human cervical cancer growth and invasion

Cervical cancer is a major world health problem for women, but the pathophysiology of this disease has received scant attention. Here we show that the growth and invasion of cervical cancer cells are strongly linked the expression and activity of the KCl cotransporter (KCC), an important regulator of the ionic and cellular osmotic homeostasis. Functional assays of KCl cotransport activation by osmotic swelling, staurosporine, and N-ethylmaleimide indicate that removal of the N-terminal 117 amino acids from KCC1 produces a dominant-negative loss-of-function phenotype for KCl cotransport in human cervical cancer cells. The capability for regulatory volume decrease is much attenuated in the loss-of-function KCC mutant cervical cancer cells. The loss-of-function KCC mutant cervical cancer cells exhibit inhibited cell growth accompanied by decreased activity of the cell cycle gene products retinoblastoma and cdc2 kinase. Reduced cellular invasiveness is in parallel by reduced expression of αvβ3 and α6β4 integrins, accompanied by decreased activity of matrix metalloproteinase 2 and 9. Inhibition of tumor growth in SCID mice confirms the crucial role of KCC in promoting cervical cancer growth and invasion. Thus, blockade of KCl cotransport may be a useful therapeutic adjunctive strategy to retard or prevent cervical cancer invasion.

Mechanosensing machinery for cells under low substratum rigidity.

Mechanical stimuli are essential during development and tumorigenesis. However, how cells sense their physical environment under low rigidity is still unknown. Here we show that low rigidity of collagen gel downregulates beta(1)-integrin activation, clustering, and focal adhesion kinase (FAK) Y397 phosphorylation, which is mediated by delayed raft formation. Moreover, overexpression of autoclustered beta(1)-integrin (V737N), but not constitutively active beta(1)-integrin (G429N), rescues FAKY397 phosphorylation level suppressed by low substratum rigidity. Using fluorescence resonance energy transfer to assess beta(1)-integrin clustering, we have found that substratum rigidity between 58 and 386 Pa triggers beta(1)-integrin clustering in a dose-dependent manner, which is highly dependent on actin filaments but not microtubules. Furthermore, augmentation of beta(1)-integrin clustering enhances the interaction between beta(1)-integrin, FAK, and talin. Our results indicate that contact with collagen fibrils is not sufficient for integrin activation. However, substratum rigidity is required for integrin clustering and activation. Together, our findings provide new insight into the mechanosensing machinery and the mode of action for epithelial cells in response to their physical environment under low rigidity.

KCl Cotransporter-3 Down-regulates E-Cadherin/β-Catenin Complex to Promote Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition

The potassium chloride cotransporter (KCC) is a major determinant of osmotic homeostasis and plays an emerging role in tumor biology. Here, we investigate if KCC is involved in the regulation of epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT), a critical cellular event of malignancy. E-cadherin and beta-catenin colocalize in the cell-cell junctions, which becomes more obvious in a time-dependent manner by blockade of KCC activity in cervical cancer SiHa and CaSki cells. Real-time reverse transcription-PCR on the samples collected from the laser microdissection indicates that KCC3 is the most abundant KCC isoform in cervical carcinoma. The characteristics of EMT appear in KCC3-overexpressed, but not in KCC1- or KCC4-overexpressed cervical cancer cells, including the elongated cell shape, increased scattering, down-regulated epithelial markers (E-cadherin and beta-catenin), and up-regulated mesenchymal marker (vimentin). Some cellular functions are enhanced by KCC3 overexpression, such as increased invasiveness and proliferation, and weakened cell-cell association. KCC3 overexpression decreases mRNA level of E-cadherin. The promoter activity assays of various regulatory sequences confirm that KCC3 expression is a potent negative regulator for human E-cadherin gene expression. The proteosome inhibitor restores the decreased protein abundance of beta-catenin by KCC3 overexpression. In the surgical specimens of cervical carcinoma, the decreased E-cadherin amount was accompanied by the increased KCC3 abundance. Vimentin begins to appear at the invasive front and becomes significantly expressed in the tumor nest. In conclusion, KCC3 down-regulates E-cadherin/beta-catenin complex formation by inhibiting transcription of E-cadherin gene and accelerating proteosome-dependent degradation of beta-catenin protein. The disruption of E-cadherin/beta-catenin complex formation promotes EMT, thereby stimulating tumor progression.

The ER Ca2+ sensor STIM1 regulates actomyosin contractility of migratory cells

Summary Stromal interaction molecule 1 (STIM1) is an endoplasmic reticulum (ER) Ca2+ sensor that triggers the store-operated Ca2+ entry (SOCE). The clinical relevance of STIM1 has been highlighted in breast and cervical cancer, but the molecular mechanism by which STIM1 promotes cancer progression remains unclear. This study explores the regulatory mechanisms by which STIM1-dependent Ca2+ signaling controls cancer cell migration. Three different SOCE inhibitors, SKF96365, 2-APB and YM-58483, significantly inhibited cervical cancer cell migration to a similar extent to that of STIM1 silencing. In contrast, STIM1 overexpression significantly enhanced cervical cancer cell migration. Live cell confocal images and three-dimensional tomograms showed that STIM1 formed aggregates and translocated towards the plasma membranes of migratory cells, and this was accompanied by increasing cytosolic Ca2+ spikes. STIM1 silencing also inhibited the recruitment and association of active focal adhesion kinase (pTyr397-FAK) and talin at focal adhesions, indicating the blockade of force transduction from integrin signaling. Epidermal growth factor-induced phosphorylation of myosin II regulatory light chains was abolished by STIM1 knockdown and SOCE inhibition. Dual immunostaining of activated myosin II (pSer19-MLC) and actin revealed that actomyosin formation depended on STIM1-mediated Ca2+ entry. Most importantly, STIM1 expression levels as well as SOCE activity controlled the generation of cell contractile force, as measured by the microfabricated post-array-detector system. These results highlight the unique role of STIM1-dependent Ca2+ signaling in controlling cell migration by the regulation of actomyosin reorganization in conjunction with enhanced contractile forces.