Project description:Background: JAG-1 is a ligand of Notch signaling and can regulate cell differentiation and proliferation in cancers. Recent studies indicated that JAG1 is a gene associated with cancer progression. Therefore, we investigated the role of JAG1 in lung cancer progression. Methods: The expression of JAG1 was manipulated by overexpression or RNA silencing in several human lung cell lines. The effect of JAG1 on tumorigenesis and invasion was assessed by the cell anchorage-independent growth, cell proliferation, cell migration and invasion assays in vitro as well as metastasis in vivo. The potential downstream genes of JAG1 were identified by oligonucleotide microarrays and quantitative reverse transcription¡Vpolymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). We further measured JAG1 expression in lung cancer specimens by RT-PCR. Correlation between JAG1 expression and overall survival of lung cancer patients was determined by using the log-rank test and multivariable Cox proportional hazards regression analysis. All statistical tests were two-sided. Results: JAG1 enhanced anchorage-independent growth, cell migration, invasion in the lower invasive cells, CL1-0. JAG1 also increased the capability of migration and invasion in the other two lung cancer cell lines (A549 and NCI-H226). The silencing of JAG1 inhibited migration and invasion activities of the higher invasive cells, CL1-5, by siRNA technology. The invasion-promoting activity of JAG1 was also demonstrated in vivo by using a mouse metastasis model. By microarray analysis, we found that the expression of heat shock 70kDa protein 2 (HSPA2) was activated by JAG1 overexpression and eliminated by JAG1 silencing. Moreover, lung cancer patients with high JAG1 expressing tumors had shorter overall survival than those with low-expressing tumors. Conclusion: JAG1 might be an oncogene which promotes colonogenesis and metastasis, and high JAG1 expression is associated with shorten survival in lung cancer. In this investigation, we used a lung cancer invasion cell model to identify the genes involved in cancer progression. JAG1 is a potential oncogene whose expression is correlated to the survival of patients with breast, prostate and liver cancers. However, the role of JAG1 in lung caner progression has not been reported, particularly in metastasis. Here, JAG1 was ectopically expressed in lower invasive lung cancer cell line its impact on colonogenesis, migration and invasiveness was assessed. The underlying mechanism was explored by JAG1-expressed transfectants and microarrays and the clinical relevance was evaluated by quantitative RT-PCR.
Project description:Background: JAG-1 is a ligand of Notch signaling and can regulate cell differentiation and proliferation in cancers. Recent studies indicated that JAG1 is a gene associated with cancer progression. Therefore, we investigated the role of JAG1 in lung cancer progression. Methods: The expression of JAG1 was manipulated by overexpression or RNA silencing in several human lung cell lines. The effect of JAG1 on tumorigenesis and invasion was assessed by the cell anchorage-independent growth, cell proliferation, cell migration and invasion assays in vitro as well as metastasis in vivo. The potential downstream genes of JAG1 were identified by oligonucleotide microarrays and quantitative reverse transcription¡Vpolymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). We further measured JAG1 expression in lung cancer specimens by RT-PCR. Correlation between JAG1 expression and overall survival of lung cancer patients was determined by using the log-rank test and multivariable Cox proportional hazards regression analysis. All statistical tests were two-sided. Results: JAG1 enhanced anchorage-independent growth, cell migration, invasion in the lower invasive cells, CL1-0. JAG1 also increased the capability of migration and invasion in the other two lung cancer cell lines (A549 and NCI-H226). The silencing of JAG1 inhibited migration and invasion activities of the higher invasive cells, CL1-5, by siRNA technology. The invasion-promoting activity of JAG1 was also demonstrated in vivo by using a mouse metastasis model. By microarray analysis, we found that the expression of heat shock 70kDa protein 2 (HSPA2) was activated by JAG1 overexpression and eliminated by JAG1 silencing. Moreover, lung cancer patients with high JAG1 expressing tumors had shorter overall survival than those with low-expressing tumors. Conclusion: JAG1 might be an oncogene which promotes colonogenesis and metastasis, and high JAG1 expression is associated with shorten survival in lung cancer.
Project description:<p>BRCA1 mutations are a hallmark of hereditary ovarian cancer, strongly linked to deficiencies in homologous recombination (HR) DNA repair and impaired DNA replication fork protection. However, its roles in cancer progression beyond maintaining genomic integrity remain poorly understood. Through metabolomics approaches, we found BRCA1-deficiency strikingly increased choline metabolism. Loss of BRCA1 promotes choline uptake through upregulating choline transporter-like protein 4 (CTL4). BRCA1 directly binds and recruits EZH2-mediated H3K27Me3 deposition to CTL4 promoter. CTL4 was therefore overexpressed in ovarian cancer tissues with BRCA1 mutations. Furthermore, BRCA1-deficiency significantly promotes ovarian cancer invasion, while inhibition of CTL4 reverses the high metastatic potential of BRCA1-deficient ovarian cancer cells, suggesting the functionality and specificity of CTL4 as a therapeutic target. Additionally, we discovered that phosphocholine, the choline metabolite increased by CTL4 overexpression, interacted with and stabilized the epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition inducer FAM3C in BRCA1-deficient ovarian cancer cells. Importantly, we identified a potent CTL4 inhibitor, DT-13, which significantly reduces choline metabolism and effectively suppresses metastasis in BRCA1-deficient ovarian cancers. Therefore, our study uncovers a mechanism underlying metastasis in BRCA1-deficient cancers and identifies CTL4 as a therapeutic target for metastatic ovarian cancer patients with BRCA1 mutations.</p>
Project description:While minimizing lung cancer metastasis can improve overall survival, few models exist where subpopulations with stable high and low metastatic potential can be easily and reliably isolated. Our previous work characterized two stable subpopulations, termed Leaders and Followers, from the H1299 Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer model. H1299 Leaders and Followers have different transcriptional profiles, biomarkers, genomic methylation patterns, metabolic states, and morphologies.Of note, H1299 Leaders express high levels of Jagged1 (JAG1) and Myosin 10 (MYO10) and drive collective invasion and metastasis. To determine how JAG1 and MYO10 contribute to Leader cell biology and lung cancer metastasis, we utilized CRISPR-Cas9 to generate edited pools of H1299 cells targeting either JAG1 or MYO10. Fluorescence-activated cell sorting using a Leader-Follower biomarker, IL13R2, was used to generate single cell derived candidate clones. Candidate clones were screened using western blot for Leader and Follower cell biomarkers (JAG1, MYO10, HTATIP2 and IL13R2) followed by Sanger sequencing of candidate clones was also conducted to confirm target gene status. Using this method, 2 JAG1 knockout, 2 MYO10 knockout, 1 MYO10 knockdown and, 2 wildtype MYO10 JAG1 H1299 single-cell derived clones were generated.
Project description:Purpose: Lymph node invasion is a hallmark of breast cancer disease progression, but current treatment strategies lack guidance from lymph node biomarkers. We investigated JAGGED1 (JAG1) as a promoter of lymph node metastasis and a prognostic biomarker in metastatic lymph node specimens. Experimental Design: We used mouse models to assess the role of JAG1 expression in human and mouse breast cancer cells on lymphovascular invasion, lymph node metastatic potential, transcriptional profiles, and tumor interactions with lymphatic endothelium. We examined breast and lymph node samples from 284 breast cancer patients to determine the correlative and prognostic value of tumoral JAG1 expression in the lymph node. Results: In matched human breast tumor and lymph node samples, tumor cells that invaded lymph nodes showed higher JAG1 expression than their associated primary tumors (P value < 0.0001). In multiple models, breast cancer cells with high JAG1 expression showed increased lymphovascular invasion, lymph node metastasis, lymph node metastatic outgrowth, and migration through lymphatic endothelium. Transcriptomic analysis indicated that tumoral JAG1 regulates both juxtacrine and paracrine signaling pathways that induce inflammatory and pro-metastatic genes in lymphatic endothelium. When examining patients with identical surgical treatments, patients with lymph node JAG1 H-scorelow showed increased 5-year recurrence free survival rates than patients with lymph node JAG1 H-scorehi (87% vs 70%, P=0.016). Conclusions: JAG1 expression promotes lymphovascular invasion and lymph node metastasis in murine models. In patients, high expression of JAG1 in tumor cells in lymph node metastases predicts reduced recurrence free survival.
Project description:Purpose: Lymph node invasion is a hallmark of breast cancer disease progression, but current treatment strategies lack guidance from lymph node biomarkers. We investigated JAGGED1 (JAG1) as a promoter of lymph node metastasis and a prognostic biomarker in metastatic lymph node specimens. Experimental Design: We used mouse models to assess the role of JAG1 expression in human and mouse breast cancer cells on lymphovascular invasion, lymph node metastatic potential, transcriptional profiles, and tumor interactions with lymphatic endothelium. We examined breast and lymph node samples from 284 breast cancer patients to determine the correlative and prognostic value of tumoral JAG1 expression in the lymph node. Results: In matched human breast tumor and lymph node samples, tumor cells that invaded lymph nodes showed higher JAG1 expression than their associated primary tumors (P value < 0.0001). In multiple models, breast cancer cells with high JAG1 expression showed increased lymphovascular invasion, lymph node metastasis, lymph node metastatic outgrowth, and migration through lymphatic endothelium. Transcriptomic analysis indicated that tumoral JAG1 regulates both juxtacrine and paracrine signaling pathways that induce inflammatory and pro-metastatic genes in lymphatic endothelium. When examining patients with identical surgical treatments, patients with lymph node JAG1 H-scorelow showed increased 5-year recurrence free survival rates than patients with lymph node JAG1 H-scorehi (87% vs 70%, P=0.016). Conclusions: JAG1 expression promotes lymphovascular invasion and lymph node metastasis in murine models. In patients, high expression of JAG1 in tumor cells in lymph node metastases predicts reduced recurrence free survival.
Project description:Purpose: Lymph node invasion is a hallmark of breast cancer disease progression, but current treatment strategies lack guidance from lymph node biomarkers. We investigated JAGGED1 (JAG1) as a promoter of lymph node metastasis and a prognostic biomarker in metastatic lymph node specimens. Experimental Design: We used mouse models to assess the role of JAG1 expression in human and mouse breast cancer cells on lymphovascular invasion, lymph node metastatic potential, transcriptional profiles, and tumor interactions with lymphatic endothelium. We examined breast and lymph node samples from 284 breast cancer patients to determine the correlative and prognostic value of tumoral JAG1 expression in the lymph node. Results: In matched human breast tumor and lymph node samples, tumor cells that invaded lymph nodes showed higher JAG1 expression than their associated primary tumors (P value < 0.0001). In multiple models, breast cancer cells with high JAG1 expression showed increased lymphovascular invasion, lymph node metastasis, lymph node metastatic outgrowth, and migration through lymphatic endothelium. Transcriptomic analysis indicated that tumoral JAG1 regulates both juxtacrine and paracrine signaling pathways that induce inflammatory and pro-metastatic genes in lymphatic endothelium. When examining patients with identical surgical treatments, patients with lymph node JAG1 H-scorelow showed increased 5-year recurrence free survival rates than patients with lymph node JAG1 H-scorehi (87% vs 70%, P=0.016). Conclusions: JAG1 expression promotes lymphovascular invasion and lymph node metastasis in murine models. In patients, high expression of JAG1 in tumor cells in lymph node metastases predicts reduced recurrence free survival.