Involvement of Extracellular Vesicle Long Noncoding RNA (Linc-VLDLR) in Tumor Cell Responses to Chemotherapy
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Published OnlineFirst May 29, 2014; DOI: 10.1158/1541-7786.MCR-13-0636 Molecular Cancer Cell Death and Survival Research Involvement of Extracellular Vesicle Long Noncoding RNA (linc-VLDLR) in Tumor Cell Responses to Chemotherapy Kenji Takahashi, Irene K. Yan, Joseph Wood, Hiroaki Haga, and Tushar Patel Abstract Hepatocellular cancer (HCC) is a highly treatment-refractory cancer and is also highly resistant to adverse cellular stress. Although cell behavior can be modulated by noncoding RNAs (ncRNA) within extracellular vesicles (EV), the contributions of long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) are largely unknown. To this end, the involvement and functional roles of lncRNAs contained within EVs during chemotherapeutic stress in human HCC were determined. Expression profiling identified a subset of lncRNAs that were enriched in tumor cell– derived vesicles released from two different cell lines. Of these, lincRNA-VLDLR (linc-VLDLR)was significantly upregulated in malignant hepatocytes. Exposure of HCC cells to diverse anticancer agents such as sorafenib, camptothecin, and doxorubicin increased linc-VLDLR expression in cells as well as within EVs released from these cells. Incubation with EVs reduced chemotherapy-induced cell death and also increased linc-VLDLR expression in recipient cells. RNAi-mediated knockdown of linc-VLDLR decreased cell viability and abrogated cell-cycle progression. Moreover, knockdown of VLDLR reduced expression of ABCG2 (ATP- binding cassette, subfamily G member 2), whereas overexpression of this protein reduced the effects of VLDLR knockdown on sorafenib-induced cell death. Here, linc-VLDLR is identified as an EV-enriched lncRNA that contributes to cellular stress responses. Implications: These findings provide new insight into the role of EVs and demonstrate the capacity of lncRNAs to mediate chemotherapeutic stress response in HCC. Mol Cancer Res; 12(10); 1377–87. Ó2014 AACR. Introduction mechanisms or acquiring resistance to cellular stress Hepatocellular cancer (HCC) is one of the most will enable us to develop more effective treatment for prevalent cancers worldwide, with an annual incidence HCC. of around 750,000 new cases (1). This tumor is char- The major focus of attention in genetic regulation of acterized by the alteration of multiple signaling pathways HCC development, progression, and behavior has been that modulate tumor behavior, local spread, and a ten- on protein-coding genes, and more recently microRNAs dency for multifocal tumor development (2). HCC is (miRNA). In contrast, the contribution of long noncod- ing RNA (lncRNA) to hepatocarcinogenesis has only highly resistant to conventional therapies. Tumor pro- fi gression is increased by the ability of HCC cells to resist recently become appreciated. LncRNAs are de ned as noncoding RNAs more than 200 nucleotides in length adverse environmental stress such as hypoxia, radia- – tion, and chemotherapy. Acquired resistance to adverse (5 8). Like miRNA, these lncRNA can affect regulation environmental conditions enhances tumor propagation, of gene expression and have an impact on many different malignant progression, and resistance to therapy, and cellular processes. In contrast to miRNA, however, they is a central issue in both the pathophysiology and the have complex RNA structures and can function through a therapy of HCC (3, 4). Understanding the primary diverse and broad range of mechanisms. Our previous studies suggested that TUC338, a lncRNA that contains an ultra-conserved element, is significantly increased in Department of Internal Medicine, Department of Transplantation, and human cirrhosis and HCC and can promote cell growth Department of Cancer Biology, Mayo Clinic, Jacksonville, Florida. of HCC cells (9). On the other hand, maternally Note: Supplementary data for this article are available at Molecular Cancer expressed gene 3 is strikingly downregulated in HCC Research Online (http://mcr.aacrjournals.org/). relative to expression in nonmalignant hepatocytes and Corresponding Author: Tushar Patel, Mayo Clinic, 4500 San Pablo Road, playsacrucialroleasatumorsuppressor(10).Although Jacksonville, FL 32224. Phone: 904-956-3257; Fax: 904-956-3359; E-mail: these and other lncRNAs such as MALAT-1, HULC,and [email protected] H19 have been implicated in human HCC, the func- doi: 10.1158/1541-7786.MCR-13-0636 tional contribution of these and other lncRNA genes is Ó2014 American Association for Cancer Research. mostly unknown. www.aacrjournals.org 1377 Downloaded from mcr.aacrjournals.org on October 2, 2021. © 2014 American Association for Cancer Research. Published OnlineFirst May 29, 2014; DOI: 10.1158/1541-7786.MCR-13-0636 Takahashi et al. We have recently shown that HCC cells can release performed. The medium was first centrifuged at 300 Â g extracellular vesicles (EV) such as exosomes, which are for 10 minutes, then at 2,000 Â g for 20 minutes in 4Cto membrane-derived vesicles that originate from endosomal remove cells and cell debris. The supernatant was then multivesicular bodies and have a size range of 40 to 100 nm centrifuged at 10,000 Â g for 70 minutes at 4C. The when released into the interstitial fluid. These vesicles supernatant was further ultracentrifuged at 100,000 Â g contain protein, lipids, and RNA derived from their donor for 70 minutes at 4C to pellet EV, which were then cell cytoplasm (11) and can be taken up by other cells. washed by resuspending in phosphate-buffered saline EVs are considered to be related to cell–cell communica- (PBS) and ultracentrifuged at 100,000 Â g for 70 minutes tion and can transfer their content to modulate cellular in 4C. The final pellet, composed of an EV preparation activities in recipient cells (12, 13). These vesicles have that contained a homogeneous population of EVs, was been reported to be secreted into the medium from a used for isolation of extracellular RNA (exRNA) or other variety of normal or tumor cells in culture. We previously studies, or resuspended with 50 to 100 mLofPBSand documented that HCC cell–derived EVs contain miRNAs stored at À80C. The protein yield was measured using a that can modulate transformed cell behavior in recipient Bicinchoninic Acid Protein Assay Kit (Thermo Fisher cells (14). Similar to miRNAs and mRNAs, HCC cell– Scientific Inc.). The number of EV were examined by derived EVs could contain and transfer lncRNAs. We NanoSight (NanoSight Ltd.). postulated that this intercellular signaling could mediate resistance to chemotherapeutic stress in HCC cells. RNA extraction and analysis fi Our studies identi ed involvement of the lncRNA linc- Total RNA was extracted from HCC cells using TRIzol VLDLR in modulation of chemotherapeutic responses by (Life Technologies) and extracellular RNA (exRNA) was fi tumor cell EVs. These ndings provide several new isolated using ExoQuick-TC (System Biosciences). HCC insights into mechanisms of resistance to chemotherapy cells (1 Â 106) were plated in 11 mL of EV-depleted medium in HCC, and the contribution of extracellular lncRNA- on collagen-coated 10-cm dishes. After 3 to 4 days, the mediated signaling in tumor cell responses to adverse medium was collected and sequentially centrifuged at environmental. 3,000 Â g for 15 minutes to remove cells and cell debris. The supernatant was transferred to a sterile vessel and Materials and Methods combined with 2 mL ExoQuick-TC. After an overnight precipitation at 4C, exRNA was extracted using SeraMir Cell lines, culture, and reagents fi Nonmalignant human hepatocytes were obtained from Exosome RNA Ampli cation Kit (System Biosciences) Sciencell and cultured as recommended by the supplier. according to the manufacturer's instructions. RNA concen- HCC cell lines HepG2, Hep3B, PLC/PRF-5, and Huh-7 tration was measured using NanoDrop ND-2000 (Nano- were obtained from the American Type Culture Collec- Drop Technologies). tion. HepG2.ST were obtained from HepG2 cells by spontaneous transformation(15).Humancholangiocar- Real-time PCR analysis cinoma cell line MzChA-1 were obtained as described RNA was treated with RNase-free DNase I (Qiagen). (16). All cell lines were authenticated. All of the HCC cells One microgram of RNA was reverse transcribed to cDNA were cultured in DMEM high glucose medium (HyClone using iScript cDNA Synthesis Kit (Bio-Rad Laboratories, Laboratories), containing 10% fetal bovine serum (FBS) Inc.), and real-time quantitative RT-PCR (qRT-PCR) was and 1% antibiotic–antimycotic (Life Technologies), at performed using a Mx3000p System (Stratagene) to detect 37 Cwith5%CO2. Mz-ChA-1 cells were cultured in mRNA and ncRNA expression with SYBR green I (SYBR CMRL Medium 1066 (Life Technologies) with 10% FBS, Advantage qPCR Premix; Clontech Laboratories, Inc.). The 0 1% L-glutamine, and 1% antibiotic–antimycotic mix. For following PCR primers were used: linc-VLDLR, forward: 5 - 0 0 all studies with EVs, EV-depleted medium was prepared AGCAGTCACATTCATCGCAC-3 , reverse: 5 -GAGG- 0 by centrifuging cell-culture medium at 100,000 Â g AATAGGTGCGAACTGC-3 , ATP-binding cassette half- 0 overnight to spin down any preexisting EV content. transporter (ABCC1), forward: 5 -GAGAGTTCCAAGG- 0 0 Camptothecin and doxorubicin were obtained from Sig- TGGATGC-3 , reverse: 5 -AGGGCCCAAAGGTCTTG- 0 ma-Aldrich, and sorafenib was obtained from Selleck TAT-3 , ATP-binding cassette (ABC), subfamily G member 0 Chemicals. Compounds were dissolved in 100% DMSO 2(ABCG2), forward: 5 -TTCGGCTTGCAACAACTA- 0 0 0 and diluted with culture media to the desired concentra- TG-3 , reverse: 5 - TCCAGACACACCACGGATAA-3 , 0