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Chen et al. J Biomed Sci (2021) 28:44 https://doi.org/10.1186/s12929-021-00738-2 RESEARCH Open Access USP9X promotes apoptosis in cholangiocarcinoma by modulation expression of KIF1Bβ via deubiquitinating EGLN3 Weiqian Chen1†, Jingjing Song1†, Siyu Liu2†, Bufu Tang1, Lin Shen1, Jinyu Zhu1, Shiji Fang1, Fazong Wu1, Liyun Zheng1, Rongfang Qiu1, Chunmiao Chen1, Yang Gao1, Jianfei Tu1, Zhongwei Zhao1* and Jiansong Ji1* Abstract Background: Cholangiocarcinoma represents the second most common primary liver malignancy. The incidence rate has constantly increased over the last decades. Cholangiocarcinoma silent nature limits early diagnosis and pre- vents efcient treatment. Methods: Immunoblotting and immunohistochemistry were used to assess the expression profling of USP9X and EGLN3 in cholangiocarcinoma patients. ShRNA was used to silence gene expression. Cell apoptosis, cell cycle, CCK8, clone formation, shRNA interference and xenograft mouse model were used to explore biological function of USP9X and EGLN3. The underlying molecular mechanism of USP9X in cholangiocarcinoma was determined by immunoblot- ting, co-immunoprecipitation and quantitative real time PCR (qPCR). Results: Here we demonstrated that USP9X is downregulated in cholangiocarcinoma which contributes to tumori- genesis. The expression of USP9X in cholangiocarcinoma inhibited cell proliferation and colony formation in vitro as well as xenograft tumorigenicity in vivo. Clinical data demonstrated that expression levels of USP9X were positively correlated with favorable clinical outcomes. Mechanistic investigations further indicated that USP9X was involved in the deubiquitination of EGLN3, a member of 2-oxoglutarate and iron-dependent dioxygenases. USP9X elicited tumor suppressor role by preventing degradation of EGLN3. Importantly, knockdown of EGLN3 impaired USP9X-mediated suppression of proliferation. USP9X positively regulated the expression level of apoptosis pathway genes de through EGLN3 thus involved in apoptosis of cholangiocarcinoma. Conclusion: These fndings help to understand that USP9X alleviates the malignant potential of cholangiocarcinoma through upregulation of EGLN3. Consequently, we provide novel insight into that USP9X is a potential biomarker or serves as a therapeutic or diagnostic target for cholangiocarcinoma. Keywords: Cholangiocarcinoma, Ubiquitination, USP9X, EGLN3, Apoptosis Background *Correspondence: [email protected]; [email protected] Cholangiocarcinoma (CC) is a heterogeneous disease †Weiqian Chen, Jingjing Song and Siyu Liu contributed equal to this work 1 Key Laboratory of Imaging Diagnosis and Minimally Invasive for a complex interaction between host-specifc genetic Intervention Research, The Fifth Afliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical background and multiple risk factors [1]. Te incidence University/Afliated Lishui Hospital of Zhejiang University/Clinical College rates of cholangiocarcinoma reveal geographical vari- of The Afliated Central Hospital of Lishui University, Lishui 323000, China Full list of author information is available at the end of the article ation in globally, which possess much higher incidence © The Author(s) 2021. 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The Creative Commons Public Domain Dedication waiver (http://creativecommons.org/publicdo- main/zero/1.0/) applies to the data made available in this article, unless otherwise stated in a credit line to the data. Chen et al. J Biomed Sci (2021) 28:44 Page 2 of 15 in parts of the Eastern world compared to the West Materials and Methods [2]. Cholangiocarcinoma account for 3% of all gastro- Reagents intestinal tumors, classifed anatomically in 3 types: Te reagents used in this study are listed in Additional intrahepatic (ICC), perihilar (PCC) and distal (DCC) fle 1: Table S1. cholangiocarcinoma [3–5]. Most patients are diagnosed at an advanced, nonsurgical stage and only about 1 in Immunohistochemical (IHC) staining 5 cases are surgically resectable [6, 7]. Te outcome of Immunohistochemistry (IHC) staining was carried out advanced cholangiocarcinoma is poor with an overall using EnVision Detection Systems Peroxidase/DAB survival of maximum 15 months with chemotherapy [8]. (DAKO, Shanghai, China) following the manufactur- Terefore, development of strategies for early diagno- er’s recommendations. Slides containing the sections sis and efective treatments of cholangiocarcinoma are were stained with commercially available anti-USP9X extremely essential. (ab180191, 1:500, Abcam), anti-EGLN3 (ab238941, Deubiquitylating enzymes (DUBs) play a regulatory 1:500, Abcam) and anti-Ki67 (ab15580, 1:500, Abcam). role for downstream of ubiquitylation. Tese post-trans- Two experienced pathologists scored the stained tis- lational modifers act as the fnal arbitrators of a pro- sues independently. By recording the percentage of tein substrate’s ubiquitylation status, thus regulating its positive staining (0 negative, 1 10%, 2 10–50%, fate [9]. Moreover, DUBs regulate the absolute level of a = ≤ = 3 50%) and staining intensity (0 no, 1 weak, substrate as well as its locality or activity, beyond being ≥ = = 2 moderate, 3 strong) for each sample, immunore- an "all-or-none" phenomenon [9]. Ubiquitin-specifc = = activity score (IRS) (0–9) was calculated by multiply- peptidase 9X (USP9X), a member of ubiquitin-specifc ing positive staining percentage with staining intensity. protease (USP) family, is a highly conserved DUB [10- Low and high expression were defned according to the 12]. Accumulating evidence demonstrates that USP9X median IRS. involves in tumorigenesis and chemoresistance in some types of human cancer, such as breast and lung can- cer, melanoma, lymphoma, and glioblastoma [13–16]. Cell culture and transfection However, a tumor suppressor role of USP9X has been Human cholangiocarcinoma cell lines RBE and HUCCT documented in pancreatic, colorectal, and renal cancer. were purchased from the Cell Resources Center of Te various substrates of USP9X are responsible for its Shanghai Institutes for Biological Science, Chinese complex role [17-19]. More importantly, the clinical sig- Academy of Science (Shanghai, China). Cells were cul- nifcance and the biological roles of USP9X in cholangio- tured in RPMI-1640 (Gibco BRL, Rockville, MD, USA) carcinoma remain unexplored. Te purpose of this study containing 10% fetal bovine serum (Gibco BRL) in a was to investigate the function and mechanism of USP9X 5% CO2 incubator at 37◦C. For the gene knockdown in cholangiocarcinoma. assays, cells were infected with lentivirus encoding Te prolyl 4-hydroxylase domain protein 3 (EGLN3), shRNA respectively. also known as PHD3, is a member of 2-oxoglutarate and iron-dependent dioxygenases [20]. Together with other Plasmid Construction two closest paralogues, PHD1 and PHD2, these enzymes Molecular cloning was performed following standard as cellular oxygen sensors label the hypoxia-inducible protocols. All construct sequences were confrmed by factor α (HIF-α) for von Hippel-Lindau protein-medi- DNA sequencing. Te detailed information concerning ated proteasomal destruction [20]. Prolyl hydroxylase 3 expression constructs and the primers used for molec- (EGLN3) is widely accepted as a tumor suppressor [21]. ular cloning is provided in Additional fle 1: Tables S2 EGLN3 overexpression induces cell apoptosis in a nerve and S3. growth factor dependent manner through caspase-3 activation and focal adhesion kinase HIF-1 phospho- Western blot analysis rylation independently, which participates in the growth and invasion of tumor cells [22, 23]. Te kinesin KIF1Bβ Modifed RIPA bufer (50 mM Tris–HCl, pH7.4, 1% was reported acts as downstream from EGLN3 to induce Nonidet P-40, 0.25% sodium deoxycholate, 150 mM apoptosis [24]. EGLN3 was also documented as a proa- NaCl, and 1 mM EDTA) supplemented with protease poptotic factor in considerable work, including neural inhibitors and phosphatase inhibitors (Bimake, Hou- crest derivatives, osteosarcoma cells, prostatic carcinoma ston, USA) was utilized to lyse cells. Protein concen- cells, lung carcinoma cells, and colorectal carcinoma cells trations were detected by BCA protein assay reagent [20, 25–30]. Terefore, EGLN3 may play a role as a tumor (Yeasen, Shanghai, China). Cellular extracts were suppressor in various type of tumors. resolved through SDS-PAGE, transferred to PVDF Chen et al. J Biomed Sci (2021) 28:44 Page 3 of 15 membranes (Millipore, Billerica, USA), then incu- Colony formation survival and CCK‑8 assays 4 bated with the indicated primary antibodies. Enhanced A total of 1 × 10 cells were seeded into 6-well in trip- chemiluminescent substrate kit (Yeasen) was used licates for plate colony formation survival assay or 3 to analyze corresponding antibody specifc