Cadherin 6 is activated by Epstein-Barr virus LMP1 to mediate EMT and metastasis as an interplay node of multiple pathways in nasopharyngeal carcinoma.

ABSTRACT: Nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) is an epithelial malignancy, which is notorious among head-and-neck cancers with its metastatic feature. Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) infection plays a fundamental role in NPC development with the mechanism is not well understood. Here we demonstrate that EBV oncoprotein LMP1 drives EMT and metastasis of NPC by reactivating the adhesion molecule, cadherin 6 (CDH6), which normally occurs in embryogenesis with unknown role in NPC. CDH6 was found to be upregulated in LMP1-positive NPC tissues, and was identified as a target of the epithelium-specific miR-203. LMP1-activated NF-κB transcriptionally repressed the miR-203 expression by binding to the promoter region of miR-203 gene. CDH6 activation in turn induced EMT and promoted metastasis in NPC. CDH6 depletion, NF-

SUBMITTER: Zuo LL 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5865538 | biostudies-literature | 2017 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature