Mucin Glycosylating Enzyme GALNT2 Regulates the Malignant Character of Hepatocellular Carcinoma by Modifying the EGF Receptor
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Published OnlineFirst October 11, 2011; DOI: 10.1158/0008-5472.CAN-11-1161 Cancer Tumor and Stem Cell Biology Research Mucin Glycosylating Enzyme GALNT2 Regulates the Malignant Character of Hepatocellular Carcinoma by Modifying the EGF Receptor Yao-Ming Wu1,4, Chiung-Hui Liu3,4, Rey-Heng Hu1, Miao-Juei Huang3,4, Jian-Jr Lee3, Chi-Hau Chen2,3, John Huang1, Hong-Shiee Lai1, Po-Huang Lee1, Wen-Ming Hsu1,4, Hsiu-Chin Huang5, and Min-Chuan Huang3,4 Abstract Extracellular glycosylation is a critical determinant of malignant character. Here, we report that N-acetylga- lactosaminyltransferase 2 (GALNT2), the enzyme that mediates the initial step of mucin type-O glycosylation, is a critical mediator of malignant character in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) that acts by modifying the activity of the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR). GALNT2 mRNA and protein were downregulated frequently in HCC tumors where these events were associated with vascular invasion and recurrence. Restoring GALNT2 expression in HCC cells suppressed EGF-induced cell growth, migration, and invasion in vitro and in vivo. Mechanistic investigations revealed that the status of the O-glycans attached to the EGFR was altered by GALNT2, changing EGFR responses after EGF binding. Inhibiting EGFR activity with erlotinib decreased the malignant characters caused by siRNA-mediated knockdown of GALNT2 in HCC cells, establishing the critical role of EGFR in mediating the effects of GALNT2 expression. Taken together, our results suggest that GALNT2 dysregulation contributes to the malignant behavior of HCC cells, and they provide novel insights into the significance of O-glycosylation in EGFR activity and HCC pathogenesis. Cancer Res; 71(23); 7270–9. Ó2011 AACR. Introduction Tumor-associated carbohydrate antigens have drawn global attention to develop diagnostic reagents and vaccines for Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the sixth most common cancer therapy (3). However, the glycogenes responsible for malignancy and the third leading cause of cancer-related death the expression of these antigens and their pathophysiologic worldwide (1). The primary curative treatment for HCC is roles in human cancers are still largely unknown. hepatic resection. Although clinical treatment of HCC is con- Two major types of protein glycosylation in mammalian tinuously evolving, the prognosis of HCC patients remains cells exist: N-linked and O-linked. The most frequently occur- poor. To improve the survival of HCC patients, further under- ring O-glycosylation is the mucin type, initiated by the transfer standing of HCC pathogenesis and novel treatment agents are of UDP-N-acetylgalactosamine (UDP-GalNAc) to the hydroxyl needed. group of serine (S) or threonine (T) residue forming Tn antigen Glycosylation is the most common posttranslational mod- (GalNAca-S/T; ref. 4). This reaction is catalyzed by a large ification of proteins. Aberrant glycosylation is a hallmark of family of polypeptide GalNAc transferases (GALNT), consisting most human cancers and affects many cellular properties, of at least 20 members in humans, namely GALNT1 to 14 and including cell proliferation, apoptosis, differentiation, trans- GALNTL1 to L6 (5, 6). formation, migration, invasion, and immune responses (2). Studies have shown that O-glycans and GALNT genes play critical roles in a variety of biological functions and human disease development. For instance, loss of GALNT1 activity in Authors' Affiliations: Departments of 1Surgery and Obstetrics and 2 3 mice results in bleeding disorder (7). Risk of epithelial ovarian Gynecology, National Taiwan University Hospital; Graduate Institute of Anatomy and Cell Biology, National Taiwan University College of cancer (8) and coronary artery disease (9) have been associated Medicine; 4Research Center for Developmental Biology and Regener- GALNT1 5 with single nucleotide polymorphisms of and ative Medicine, National Taiwan University, Taipei; and Animal Tech- GALNT2 nology Institute Taiwan, Miaoli, Taiwan , respectively. GALNT3 expression is a potential diag- nostic marker for lung (10) and pancreatic (11) cancers. Note: Supplementary data for this article are available at Cancer Research fi Online (http://cancerres.aacrjournals.org/). GALNT6 modi es mucin 1 glycosylation and regulates prolif- eration of breast cancer cells (12). Corresponding Author: Min-Chuan Huang, Graduate Institute of Anatomy and Cell Biology, National Taiwan University College of Medicine, No. 1, The epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) is a promising Sec. 1 Jen-Ai Road, Taipei 100, Taiwan. Phone: 886-2-23123456 (ext. therapeutic target as its overexpression is associated with 88177); Fax: 886-2-23915292; E-mail: [email protected] various cancers and plays a crucial role in tumor malignancy doi: 10.1158/0008-5472.CAN-11-1161 (13). Overexpression of EGFR in HCC (14) and upregulation of Ó2011 American Association for Cancer Research. EGF in advanced HCC compared with the control liver tissue 7270 Cancer Res; 71(23) December 1, 2011 Downloaded from cancerres.aacrjournals.org on October 3, 2021. © 2011 American Association for Cancer Research. Published OnlineFirst October 11, 2011; DOI: 10.1158/0008-5472.CAN-11-1161 GALNT2 in Hepatocellular Carcinoma and early HCC (15) suggest the potential role of EGFR-ligand Immunohistochemistry interaction in HCC progression. Phase 2 clinical trials of Paraffin-embedded tissue sections were incubated with erlotinib, an EGFR inhibitor, showed 9% partial response and anti-GALNT2 polyclonal antibody (1:75, Sigma) diluted with 25% partial response combined with bevacizumab (antibody 5% nonfat milk/PBS for 16 hours at 4C. After rinsing twice for VEGF) for advanced HCC (16). The phase 3 clinical trial of with PBS, Super Sensitive Link-Label immunohistochemistry erlotinib for advanced HCC is still ongoing. However, the Detection System (BioGenex) was used and the specific immu- clinical efficacy is still unsatisfactory. Thus, to improve the nostaining was visualized with 3,3-diaminobenzidine liquid effect of EGFR-targeted therapies, molecular mechanisms by substrate system (Sigma). All sections were counterstained which EGFR regulates HCC properties should be further with hematoxylin. Negative controls were done by replacing investigated. primary antibody with control IgG. Tumor cell proliferation In HCC, the expression pattern and function of GALNT was assessed by Ki67 immunoreactivity. Anti-Ki67 rabbit family have never been reported, although O-glycosylation can polyclonal antibody (Vector Laboratories) was applied to the regulate multiple cellular properties. Here, we report that slides at 1:500 dilution. Cells with positively stained nuclei were GALNT2 is frequently downregulated in HCC. Moreover, counted in 5 random fields. GALNT2 modifies EGFR O-glycosylation and activity, and plays a critical role in the malignant phenotype of HCC cells in vitro Plasmid construction and in vivo. Reverse transcriptase PCR (RT-PCR) was done for cloning of full-length human GALNT2 (Accession No. NM_004481) from Materials and Methods nontumorous liver total RNA (BD Biosciences). The sense primer was 50-ATGCGGCGGCGCTCGCGGAT-30, and the anti- Tissue samples sense primer was 50-CTGCTGCAGGTTGAGCGTGA-30. The Postsurgery fresh tissue samples were collected from RT-PCR products were cloned into pcDNA3.1/myc-His (Invi- patients receiving treatment at the National Taiwan University trogen Life Technologies) to generate the GALNT2/myc-His Hospital (Supplementary Table S1). The tumor samples were fusion gene. The insert was confirmed by DNA sequencing. taken from the central part of the resected tumor and the paired nontumor samples were taken 2 cm away from the Transfection tumor. For immunohistochemistry, specimens were fixed in Overexpression of GALNT2 gene was achieved by transfect- 4% (w/v) paraformaldehyde/PBS. For RNA extraction, speci- ing cells with pcDNA3.1/GALNT2/mycHis plasmids using Lipo- mens were soaked in RNAlater (Qiagen Corp.) at 4C overnight fectamine 2000 (Invitrogen, Life Technologies) according to and then stored at À20C. Samples used for Western blotting the manufacturer's protocol. The transfected cells were select- were stored at À80C. Ethics approval was obtained from the ed with 600 mg/mL of G418 for 14 days and then pooled for local hospital ethic committees and a written consent was further studies. obtained from each patient before sample collection. siRNA knockdown of GALNT2 expression Cell line and cell culture SMARTpool siRNA oligonucleotides against GALNT2 and Human liver cancer cell lines Huh7, PLC5, and HepG2 siCONTROL nontargeting siRNA were synthesized by Dhar- were purchased from Bioresource Collection and Research macon Research (Thermoscientific). For knockdown of Center (Hsinchu, Taiwan) in 2008. HA22T, SUN387, and GALNT2, cells were transfected with siRNA using Dharma- HCC36 cells were kindly provided by Shiou-Hwei Yeh FECT 4 (Thermoscientific) with a final concentration of 100 (National Taiwan University, Taiwan) in 2010. All cell lines nmol siRNA for 48 hours. were authenticated by the provider based on morphology, antigen expression, growth, DNA profile, and cytogenetics. Western blot analysis Cells were maintained with Dulbecco's modified Eagle's GALNT2 proteins were detected with rabbit anti-GALNT2 medium (DMEM; Biowest) containing 10% FBS (PAA Lab- polyclonal antibody (Sigma). For detection of EGFR and its oratories), 100 IU/mL penicillin, and 100 mg/mL streptomy- downstream signaling molecules, anti-phospho-tyrosine anti- cin (Biowest) in tissue culture incubator