Project description:I investigated the role of insulin receptor substrate 2 (IRS2) in small-intestinal neuroendocrine tumours (SI-NETs). Using SI-NET cell lines (STC-1 and Glu-tag), I found that IRS2 was significantly upregulated. IRS2 knockdown inhibited cellular proliferation, migration, and invasion, while its overexpression promoted these processes. For in vivo validation, I established stable IRS2-knockdown cell lines and performed xenograft experiments in nude mice. Transcriptomic profiling by RNA sequencing was conducted to identify downstream targets of IRS2 signaling.
Project description:<p>Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), a prevalent malignant neoplasm, presents significant therapeutic challenges. However, the key factors and mechanisms driving HCC metastasis remain incompletely understood. This study aimed to elucidate the mechanism through which CHML regulates the migration and invasion of HCC cells. Following CHML knockout or overexpression, we assessed the proliferative capacity of HCC cells using the Cell Counting Kit-8 (CCK-8) assay, 5-ethynyl-2′-deoxyuridine (EdU) incorporation, colony formation assay, and subcutaneous xenograft tumor models in nude mice. Cell migration and invasion were evaluated using wound healing and Transwell assays. Results demonstrated that CHML knockout significantly inhibited the migration and invasion of HCC cells in vitro, whereas CHML overexpression promoted these phenotypes. Transcriptomic sequencing revealed CHML-mediated regulation of migration-associated pathways, whereas untargeted metabolomics identified choline metabolism as a key significantly altered pathway. Notably, the integration of transcriptomics and untargeted metabolomics identified choline metabolism as a pivotal pathway in CHML-regulated migration and invasion. The subsequent mechanistic analysis demonstrated that CHML upregulated the Solute carrier family 44 member 3 (SLC44A3) to enhance choline uptake, thereby increasing phosphatidic acid (PA) production. This metabolic shift activated MAPK and PI3K-AKT signaling cascades, ultimately driving HCC cell migration and invasion. Our findings provide novel insights into metabolic dependencies in HCC metastasis and position CHML as a promising therapeutic target.</p>
Project description:Glioblastoma cells are characterized by a highly invasive behavior whose mechanisms are not yet understood. Using the wound healing and Boyden chamber assays we compared in the present study the migration and invasion abilities of 5 glioblastoma cell lines (DK-MG, GaMG, U87-MG, U373-MG, SNB19) differing in p53 and PTEN status. We also analyzed by Western blotting the expression of PTEN, p53, mTOR and several other marker proteins involved in cell adhesion, migration and invasion. Among 5 cell lines, GaMG cells exhibited the fastest rate of wound closure, whereas U87-MG cells showed the most rapid chemotactic migration in the Boyden chamber assay. In DK-MG and GaMG cells, F-actin mainly occurred in the numerous stress fibers spanning the cytoplasm, whereas U87-MG, U373-MG and SNB19 cells preferentially expressed F-actin in filopodia and lamellipodia. Moreover, the two glioblastoma lines mutated in both p53 and PTEN genes (U373-MG and SNB19) were found to exhibit the fastest invasion rates through the Matrigel matrix. Here, we performed a gene expression profiling of the five glioblastoma cell lines to examine the molecular framework of differences in invasive behavior to find possible targets for chemo- and radiation therapy.
Project description:Relative beta cell deficit and increased beta cell apoptosis are hallmarks of type 2 diabetes (T2D). The Insulin/Insulin Growth Factor (Igf) signaling pathway is an established regulator of beta cell survival and is found downregulated in human T2D islets. The Insulin Receptor Substrate 2 (Irs2) plays a central role in the coordination of this pathway in beta cells. Thus, Irs2 knockout mice (Irs2 -/-) exhibit increased beta cell apoptosis that leads to a progressive decline of beta cell mass and hyperglycaemia. In this study, we sought to determine whether the anti-diabetic compound sodium tungstate could prevent the onset of diabetes in Irs2 -/- mice. Oral administration of tungstate resulted in an overall improvement in whole-body glucose tolerance in Irs2 -/- mice which correlated with increased beta cell mass. Enhanced beta cell mass was due to a dramatic reduction of beta cell apoptosis without changes in proliferation. Whole genome gene profiling analysis of islets isolated from treated Irs2 -/- mice confirmed a broad impact of tungstate on cell death pathways. Mechanistically, tungstate induced Erk1/2 phosphorylation in islets in vitro and, in agreement, treated Irs2 -/- islets exhibited increased basal Erk1/2 phosphorylation. Tungstate also downregulated expression of apoptosis-related genes in Irs2-/- islets in vitro, uncovering a direct effect of this compound in islets. All together, our data demonstrate that tungstate can restore beta cell mass and glucose homeostasis in a context of deficient Insulin/Igf signaling. This study underscores the importance of developing strategies specifically designed to arrest beta cell apoptosis as a means to prevent progressive beta cell failure in diabetes. 10-week old WT and Irs2 -/- mice were randomly divided into two treatment group, in a total of 4 experimental groups. For 21 days one group received distilled water as drinking water (untreated group) whilst the other received ad libitum a solution of 2mg/ml of sodium tungstate in distilled water (treated group). For each experimental group 2 independent samples were analysed, in a total of 8 samples.
Project description:Relative beta cell deficit and increased beta cell apoptosis are hallmarks of type 2 diabetes (T2D). The Insulin/Insulin Growth Factor (Igf) signaling pathway is an established regulator of beta cell survival and is found downregulated in human T2D islets. The Insulin Receptor Substrate 2 (Irs2) plays a central role in the coordination of this pathway in beta cells. Thus, Irs2 knockout mice (Irs2 -/-) exhibit increased beta cell apoptosis that leads to a progressive decline of beta cell mass and hyperglycaemia. In this study, we sought to determine whether the anti-diabetic compound sodium tungstate could prevent the onset of diabetes in Irs2 -/- mice. Oral administration of tungstate resulted in an overall improvement in whole-body glucose tolerance in Irs2 -/- mice which correlated with increased beta cell mass. Enhanced beta cell mass was due to a dramatic reduction of beta cell apoptosis without changes in proliferation. Whole genome gene profiling analysis of islets isolated from treated Irs2 -/- mice confirmed a broad impact of tungstate on cell death pathways. Mechanistically, tungstate induced Erk1/2 phosphorylation in islets in vitro and, in agreement, treated Irs2 -/- islets exhibited increased basal Erk1/2 phosphorylation. Tungstate also downregulated expression of apoptosis-related genes in Irs2-/- islets in vitro, uncovering a direct effect of this compound in islets. All together, our data demonstrate that tungstate can restore beta cell mass and glucose homeostasis in a context of deficient Insulin/Igf signaling. This study underscores the importance of developing strategies specifically designed to arrest beta cell apoptosis as a means to prevent progressive beta cell failure in diabetes.
Project description:Glioblastoma cells are characterized by a highly invasive behavior whose mechanisms are not yet understood. Using the wound healing and Boyden chamber assays we compared in the present study the migration and invasion abilities of 5 glioblastoma cell lines (DK-MG, GaMG, U87-MG, U373-MG, SNB19) differing in p53 and PTEN status. We also analyzed by Western blotting the expression of PTEN, p53, mTOR and several other marker proteins involved in cell adhesion, migration and invasion. Among 5 cell lines, GaMG cells exhibited the fastest rate of wound closure, whereas U87-MG cells showed the most rapid chemotactic migration in the Boyden chamber assay. In DK-MG and GaMG cells, F-actin mainly occurred in the numerous stress fibers spanning the cytoplasm, whereas U87-MG, U373-MG and SNB19 cells preferentially expressed F-actin in filopodia and lamellipodia. Moreover, the two glioblastoma lines mutated in both p53 and PTEN genes (U373-MG and SNB19) were found to exhibit the fastest invasion rates through the Matrigel matrix.
Project description:Placentation requires the proper regulation of extravillous trophoblast (EVT) migration and invasion into the decidua and maternal vasculature, processes which are initiated in physiologic hypoxic conditions. Abnormal EVT migration and/or invasion have been suggested to lead to pregnancy complications, such as preeclampsia. The objectives of this study are to determine how exposure to hypoxia impacts gene expression and cellular motility of first trimester trophoblasts, and to assess if expression of migration-associated genes is dysregulated in 2nd trimester chorionic villous samples (CVS) from preeclampsia pregnancies relative to CVS from healthy pregnancies. The 1st trimester trophoblast cell line, HTR8/SVneo, was used to investigate the relationship between hypoxia and Notch signaling in trophoblast migration and invasion. RNA sequencing and quantitative RT-PCR analyses show that exposure to hypoxia (2.5% O2) activates Notch signaling in HTR-8/SVneo. We demonstrate that exposure of HTR-8/SVneo to hypoxia induces expression of genes associated with cellular migration and invasion and increases HTR-8/SVneo cellular migration and invasion, whereas inhibition of gamma-secretase decreases Notch signaling and decreases HTR-8/SVneo migration and invasion. Analysis of RNA sequencing data from CVS of preeclampsia and uncomplicated pregnancies identified significant differentially expressed genes that are involved in cellular migration and invasion. Decreased expression of migration and invasion genes in CVS from preeclampsia pregnancies, may impair trophoblast migration and invasion in the 2nd trimester of pregnancy, resulting in the development of preeclampsia.
Project description:We identified distinct sets of genes under the control of PRMT5 and E2F1. Some of the most highly regulated genes, such as cortactin/CTTN, influenced cell migration, invasion and adherence. We characterised the functional role of the cortactin/CTTN gene, which enabled PRMT5 through E2F1 to promote cellular migration and invasion, whilst decreasing cellular adherence. Most significantly, there was a striking coincidence between the expression of PRMT5 and E2F1 in certain human tumours, and elevated levels of PRMT5, E2F1 and cortactin/CTTN correlated with poor prognosis disease. Our results suggest a causal relationship between PRMT5, E2F1 and the migration and invasion of cancer cells, thereby highlighting an important pathway that contributes to the cancer biology of tumour cells.
Project description:To better understand the mechanism underlying the invasion and migration phenotype instigated by EFEMP1 EVs (extracellular vesicles), we performed RNA sequencing analysis on BT549 cells treated with control and EFEMP1KD EVs.
Project description:Metastasis accounts for almost 90% of breast cancer-related fatalities, making it frequent malignancy and the main reason of tumor mortality globally among women. A key player in breast cancer is the histone demethylase lysine-specific demethylase 1 (LSD1). We used LSD1 knockdown MCF7 and T47D cell exosomes to treat breast cancer cells for greatly increasing the invasion and migration of breast cancer cells for evaluating the impact of LSD1 on breast cancer invasion and migration. miR-1290 expression was downregulated in LSD1 knockdown MCF7 exosomes. Furthermore, miR-1290 could control NAT1 expression by looking through the database of miR-1290 target genes. These data provide fresh insights into the biology of breast cancer therapy by demonstrating how the epigenetic factor LSD1 stimulates the breast cancer cells’ invasion and migration via controlling exosomal miRNA.