Sonic Hedgehog/Gli1 Signaling Pathway Regulates Cell Migration and Invasion Via Induction of Epithelial-To
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Journal of Cancer 2020, Vol. 11 3932 Ivyspring International Publisher Journal of Cancer 2020; 11(13): 3932-3943. doi: 10.7150/jca.42900 Research Paper Sonic Hedgehog/Gli1 Signaling Pathway Regulates Cell Migration and Invasion via Induction of Epithelial-to- mesenchymal Transition in Gastric Cancer Bin Ke, Xiao-Na Wang, Ning Liu, Bin Li, Xue-Jun Wang, Ru-Peng Zhang, Han Liang Department of Gastric Cancer, Tianjin Medical University Cancer Institute and Hospital, National Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Tianjin’s Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Key Laboratory of Cancer Prevention and Therapy of Tianjin, Tianjin, 300060, P.R. China Corresponding author: Han Liang, Department of Gastric Cancer, Tianjin Medical University Cancer Institute and Hospital, National Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Tianjin’s Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Key Laboratory of Cancer Prevention and Therapy of Tianjin, Huan-Hu-Xi Road, HeXi District, Tianjin, 300060, People’s Republic of China. E-mail: [email protected] © The author(s). This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/). See http://ivyspring.com/terms for full terms and conditions. Received: 2019.12.09; Accepted: 2020.03.23; Published: 2020.04.06 Abstract Background: The aberrant activation of the Sonic hedgehog (Shh) signaling pathway is involved in progression of several types of cancer, including gastric cancer (GC). However, it remains uncertain whether it also plays a critical role in promoting cancer initiation and progression by inducing epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) in GC. Thus, the aim of the present study was to determine whether the Shh pathway is involved in GC, and to investigate the function of the Shh pathway in the induction of EMT in GC. Materials and methods: The expression levels of Shh pathway members and EMT markers were examined in GC tissues by immunohistochemistry. The association between these factors and patient clinicopathological characteristics was analyzed. In addition, Gli-antagonist 61 (GANT61) was used to block Shh/Gli1 pathway activity, and recombinant Shh proteins (N-Shh) were used to activate the Shh pathway in GC cells. Wound healing and Transwell invasion and migration assays were performed to assess the effects of the Shh pathway on the migration and invasion of GC cells in vitro. Furthermore, western blot analysis was used to examine the changes in protein expression. Results: The results demonstrated that these Shh/Gli1 pathway members were upregulated in GC tissues, and that Gli1 upregulation was associated with tumor progression and a poor prognosis. Gli1 expression was negatively associated with E-cadherin (E-Cad) expression, and positively with Vimentin (VIM) expression in GC specimens. Further analysis revealed that when the Shh/Gli1 pathway was activated, the migratory and invasive abilities of GC cells were enhanced, and the expression levels of Gli1 and VIM were increased, while E-Cad expression was decreased. Opposite results were observed when the Shh/Gli1 pathway was blocked by GANT61. Conclusions: The present study indicated that the Shh/Gli1 pathway exhibits an abnormal activation pattern in GC with possible predictive and prognostic significance. The Shh/Gli1 pathway may promote the migratory and invasive potential of GC cells by inducing EMT. The Shh/Gli1 pathway can thus be considered as a potential therapeutic target for GC. Key words: sonic hedgehog, epithelial-mesenchymal transition, gastric cancer, invasion, migration Introduction Gastric cancer (GC) is the fifth most frequent approximately 783 thousand deaths reported type of cancer and the third primary cause of annually [1]. Despite recent improvements in cancer-associated mortality worldwide with diagnosis and therapy, the prognosis of patients with http://www.jcancer.org Journal of Cancer 2020, Vol. 11 3933 advanced-stage GC remains dismal, with the 5-year of invasion and metastasis in GC, and may aid the overall survival rate being <30% [2, 3]. Local tumor development of effective approaches for the invasion and distant metastasis may be the major prevention and therapy of this malignancy. reasons for the poor survival of patients with Recently, several studies have demonstrated that advanced GC [4]. Therefore, understanding the exact the abnormal activation of the Shh pathway affects molecular mechanisms underlying the development EMT in several types of cancers, such as and progression of GC is important for the hepatocellular carcinoma and lung cancer [25, 26]. development of novel treatment targets for patients However, the association between the Shh pathway with GC. and EMT in GC has rarely been reported, and whether The hedgehog (Hh) signaling pathway is a or not the Shh pathway may promote cancer well-conserved pathway across various species that development and progression by inducing EMT in plays a critical role during embryonic development GC has not yet been investigated, at least to the best of and tissue morphogenesis in adults [5, 6]. In humans, our knowledge. In the present study, we analyzed the the Hh pathway is composed of Hh ligands, two expression of Shh pathway components and patient transmembrane protein receptors [Patched receptor clinicopathological features and prognosis in GC (Path) and Smoothened receptor (Smo)], and the tissues to evaluate whether the Shh pathway is five-zinc finger transcription factor Glis [7]. In the involved in GC. In addition, the activation of the Shh canonical Hh pathway, when the Hh ligand is absent, pathway was regulated by treatment with exogenous Ptch suppresses the activity of Smo, and thus inhibits recombinant Shh protein (N-Shh) or Gli-antagonist 61 the cleavage of Gli, blocking Hh pathway activation. (GANT61), a Gli specific inhibitor, to further explore When the Hh ligand is present, it binds to Ptch, the detailed mechanisms of the role of the Shh relieving the inhibition of Smo and resulting in the pathway in the regulation of EMT in GC. This study activation of Gli transcription factor. Activated Gli may indicate the potential clinical significance of the translocates to the nucleus and subsequently regulates Shh pathway and EMT in GC. the transcription of Gli target genes [8]. In mammals, three ligands have been identified in the Hh pathway: Materials and methods Sonic hedgehog (Shh), Desert hedgehog (Dhh) and Patients and specimens Indian hedgehog (Ihh) [7]. Among these three ligands, Shh is the most thoroughly studied one, as well as the A total of 178 GC specimens and 89 adjacent most important one [9, 10]. Recently, the ectopic non-tumor tissues were collected from patients activation of the Shh pathway has been detected in a diagnosed with GC at TianJin Medical University number of human malignancies [11, 12]. Numerous Cancer Institute and Hospital (TianJin, China) reports have indicated that the Shh pathway plays a between March 2010 and April 2013. All the patients crucial role in GC initiation, progression and underwent radical gastrectomy with D2 metastasis, and it has also been shown to be lymphadenectomy. None of the patients had associated with patient prognosis [13-15]. Therefore, a undergone chemotherapy, radiotherapy, or any other deeper understanding of this pathway in tumor treatment for cancer prior to surgery. The surgical invasion and metastasis may provide great promise tissues were formalin-fixed and paraffin-embedded. for GC therapy. The clinicopathological data were collected and Epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) analyzed. The pathological tumor staging was exerts marked effects on cellular transdifferentiation classified according to the 8th edition of the American during embryonic development [16], and has been Joint Committee on Cancer TNM staging system for characterized as cells acquiring mesenchymal GC [27]. spindle-like morphology and the loosening of This study was approved by the Ethics intercellular cohesion [17, 18]. The characteristic Committee of TianJin Medical University Cancer features of EMT are the decreased expression of the Institute and Hospital (Tianjin, China). cell adhesion molecule, E-cadherin (E-Cad), and the Cell culture and treatment enhanced expression of the mesenchymal marker, The human gastric adenocarcinoma cell lines, Vimentin (VIM) [19, 20]. Previous studies have KATO, MKN-45, SGC-7901, MGC-803, AGS, N87 and demonstrated that EMT is a vital process in tumor BGC-823, and the human gastric epithelial cell line, progression and metastasis, and is associated with a GES-1, were obtained from the American Type poor prognosis and tumor aggressiveness in several Culture Collection (ATCC). The cell lines were human epithelial cancers, including GC [21-24]. The maintained in RPMI-1640 (Life Technologies; Thermo identification of factors that induce EMT would Fisher Scientific, Inc.) medium with 10% fetal bovine greatly contribute to understanding the mechanisms serum (FBS) (Thermo Fisher Scientific, Inc.), and 1% http://www.jcancer.org Journal of Cancer 2020, Vol. 11 3934 penicillin-streptomycin solution (Thermo Fisher branes (EMD Millipore). The membranes were Scientific, Inc.) at 37˚C in a humidified atmosphere of blocked with 5% skimmed milk for 1 h at room 5% CO2. temperature and then incubated with primary All cultures were routinely grown to ~70% antibodies at 4˚C overnight. After washing, the confluence one day before treatment. For the membranes were exposed to horseradish peroxidase inhibition of the Shh