Focal adhesion kinase-related non-kinase ameliorates liver fibrosis by inhibiting aerobic glycolysis via the FAK/Ras/c-myc/ENO1 pathway

BACKGROUND Hepatic stellate cell(HSC)hyperactivation is a central link in liver fibrosis development.HSCs perform aerobic glycolysis to provide energy for their activation.Focal adhesion kinase(FAK)promotes aerobic glycolysis in cancer cells or fibroblasts,while FAK-related non-kinase(FRNK)inhibits FAK phosphorylation and biological functions.AIM To elucidate the effect of FRNK on liver fibrosis at the level of aerobic glycolytic metabolism in HSCs.METHODS Mouse liver fibrosis models were established by administering CCl4,and the effect of FRNK on the degree of liver fibrosis in the model was evaluated.Transforming growth factor-β1 was used to activate LX-2 cells.Tyrosine phosphorylation at position 397(pY397-FAK)was detected to identify activated FAK,and the expression of the glycolysis-related proteins monocarboxylate transporter 1(MCT-1)and enolase1(ENO1)was assessed.Bioinformatics analysis was performed to predict putative binding sites for c-myc in the ENO1 promoter region,which were validated with chromatin immunoprecipitation(ChIP)and dual luciferase reporter assays.RESULTS The pY397-FAK level was increased in human fibrotic liver tissue.FRNK knockout promoted liver fibrosis in mouse models.It also increased the activation,migration,proliferation and aerobic glycolysis of primary hepatic stellate cells(pHSCs)but inhibited pHSC apoptosis.Nevertheless,opposite trends for these phenomena were observed after exogenous FRNK treatment in LX-2 cells.Mechanistically,the FAK/Ras/c-myc/ENO1 pathway promoted aerobic glycolysis,which was inhibited by exogenous FRNK.CONCLUSION FRNK inhibits aerobic glycolysis in HSCs by inhibiting the FAK/Ras/c-myc/ENO1 pathway,thereby improving liver fibrosis.FRNK might be a potential target for liver fibrosis treatment.

Focal adhesion kinase and Src phosphorylations in HGF-induced proliferation and invasion of human cholangiocarcinoma cell line, HuCCA-1

AIM: To study the role of focal adhesion kinase (FAK) and its association with Src in hepatocyte growth factor (HGF)-induced cell signaling in cholangiocarcinoma progression.METHODS: Previously isolated HuCCA-1 cells were re-characterized by immunofluorescent staining and reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction assay for the expression of cytokeratin 19, HGF and c-Met mRNA. Cultured HuCCA-1 cells were treated with HGF and determined for cell proliferation and invasion effects by MTT and invasion assays. Western blotting, immunoprecipitation, and co-immunoprecipitation were also performed to study the phosphorylation and interaction of FAK and Src. A novel Src inhibitor (AZM555130) was applied in cultures to investigate the effects on FAK phosphorylation inhibition and on cell proliferation and invasion.RESULTS: HGF enhanced HuCCA-1 cell proliferation and invasion by mediating FAK and Src phosphorylations.FAK-Src interaction occurred in a time-dependent manner that Src was proved to be an upstream signaling molecule to FAK. The inhibitor to Src decreased FAK phosphorylation level in correlation with the reduction of cell proliferation and invasion.CONCLUSION: FAK plays a significant role in signaling pathway of HGF-responsive cell line derived from cholangiocarcinoma. Autophosphorylated Src, induced by HGF, mediates Src kinase activation, which subsequently phosphorylates its substrate, FAK, and signals to cell proliferation and invasion.

Progress in researches about focal adhesion kinase in gastrointestinal tract

Focal adhesion kinase(FAK)is a 125-kDa non-receptor protein tyrosine.Growth factors or the clustering of integrins facilitate the rapid phosphorylation of FAK at Tyr-397 and this in turn recruits Src-family protein tyrosine kinases,resulting in the phosphorylation of Tyr-576 and Tyr-577 in the FAK activation loop and full catalytic FAK activation.FAK plays a critical role in the biological processes of normal and cancer cells including the gastrointestinal tract.FAK also plays an important role in the restitution,cell survival and apoptosis and carcinogenesis of the gastrointestinal tract.FAK is over-expressed in cancer cells and its over-expression and elevated activities are associated with motility and invasion of cancer cells.FAK has been proposed as a potential target in cancer therapy.Small molecule inhibitors effectively inhibit the kinase activity of FAK and show a potent inhibitory effect for the proliferation and migration of tumor cells,indicating a high potential for application in cancer therapy.

Inhibition of focal adhesion kinase enhances antitumor response of radiation therapy in pancreatic cancer through CD8+ T cells

Objective:Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma(PDAC)is a deadly malignancy,due in large part to its resistance to conventional therapies,including radiotherapy(RT).Despite RT exerting a modest antitumor response,it has also been shown to promote an immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment.Previous studies demonstrated that focal adhesion kinase inhibitors(FAKi)in clinical development inhibit the infiltration of suppressive myeloid cells and T regulatory(T regs)cells,and subsequently enhance effector T cell infiltration.FAK inhibitors in clinical development have not been investigated in combination with RT in preclinical murine models or clinical studies.Thus,we investigated the impact of FAK inhibition on RT,its potential as an RT sensitizer and immunomodulator in a murine model of PDAC.Methods:We used a syngeneic orthotopic murine model to study the effect of FAKi on hypofractionated RT.Results:In this study we showed that IN10018,a small molecular FAKi,enhanced antitumor response to RT.Antitumor activity of the combination of FAKi and RT is T cell dependent.FAKi in combination with RT enhanced CD8+T cell infiltration significantly in comparison to the radiation or FAKi treatment alone(P<0.05).FAKi in combination with radiation inhibited the infiltration of granulocytes but enhanced the infiltration of macrophages and T regs in comparison with the radiation or FAKi treatment alone(P<0.01).Conclusions:These results support the clinical development of FAKi as a radiosensitizer for PDAC and combining FAKi with RT to prime the tumor microenvironment of PDAC for immunotherapy.

Effect of focal adhesion kinase on cytoskeletal arrangement of HepG2 cells induced by hypoxia

Objective： To study focal adhesion kinase （FAK） expression in hypoxic HepG2 cells and the effect of FAK siRNA on cytoskeletal arrangement of HepG2 cells induced by hypoxia. Methods： HepG2 cells were cultured in 21% O2 and 1% O2. Morphological changes were observed after hypoxia treatment. Western blot was used to measure FAK expression. The siRNA expression vector pshRNA-FAK targeting the mRNA of FAK and vector pGensil-2 （as a control） were constructed, and then transfected into HepG2 cells. Western blot was used to detect FAK. The cytoskeletal arrangement of HepG2 cells transfected with pshRNA-FAK induced by hypoxia was analyzed by phalloidin. The migratory ability of HepG2 cells transfected with pshRNA-FAK induced by hypoxia was analyzed by cell migration assay. Results： Hypoxia-treated cells displayed a more elongated shape with a large degree of cell detachment. FAK expression increased in hypoxic HepG2 cells. FAK protein level was decreased by 75.64% ± 3.12% （P 〈 0.01） after the pshRNA-FAK transfection. Hypoxia induced cytoskeletal arrangement of HepG2 cells. However, cytoskeletal arrangement of HepG2 cells transfected with pshRNA-FAK induced by hypoxia was inhibited in 1% O2. As cell migration assay showed, the migrating number of HepG cells transfected with pshRNA-FAK was significantly lower than that of control （P 〈 0.05）. Conclusion： The expression of FAK in hypoxic HCC might have a close relationship to the cytoskeletal arrangement of HepG2 cells induced by hypoxia. Up-regulation of FAK expression may be one of mechanisms of cytoskeletal arrangement and invasion of hepatocellular carcinoma induced by hypoxia.

Inhibiting focal adhesion kinase:A potential target for enhancing therapeutic efficacy in colorectal cancer therapy

Focal adhesion kinase(FAK) is a major integrin- dep-endent tyrosine phosphorylated protein, recently, FAK association with colorectal cancer(CRC) has gained at-tention. The various cancer-promoting mechanisms that associated with FAK can be implicated in the progression of CRC. The interactions between structural features of FAK and various kinases could be closely related to growth, survival, and metastasis in CRC cells. These interactions include human epithelial growth factor re-ceptor, c-Met, platelet-derived growth factor receptor, vascular endothelial growth factor receptor, and Src. Such interactions can trigger the survival signaling of CRC cells and are also involved signaling downstream of phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase, AKT, and the extracellular regulated kinase. Based on this scientific background, many pharmaceutical companies are taking efforts to develop FAK inhibitors to treat solid cancer including CRC. Although the anti-cancer efficacies have been noted in many studies, the commercial drugs have not been deve-loped yet. Therefore, the FAK research on CRC is expec-ted to gain momentum and be highly appreciated as a potential field for developing the new drugs. Therefore, the studies on FAK that effect on the progression of human CRC s would be possible to suggest various app-roaches to CRC treatment, and FAK could be a potential target as an anticancer candidate for CRC therapies.

The Overexpressed FAK （Focal Adhesion Kinase） in Higher Grade Human Urothelial Tumors

Malignant transformation of normal cells involves important structural and functional changes, particularly in cell adhesion. In this study, we wanted to assess whether changes in the expression of FAK, a tyrosine kinase, which is recruited to focal adhesions and plays a key role in cell migration, proliferation and survival, could reflect the invasive capacity of bladder carcinomas. The aim of this study was to evaluate the FAK expression in cancer ceils as an important prognostic factor of the evolution of bladder carcinomas. Tumor and paired peritumoral biopsies were obtained during transurethral endoscopic resection or cystectomy of bladder tumors in 280 patients at the Urology Unit of the Mustapha Hospital of Algiers and the Hospital of Tizi-Ouzou （Algeria）. The authors studied FAK expression in samples from bladder carcinomas at different stages of malignant transformation by western blot analysis using a specific anti-FAK antibody. Western blot is one of the most common laboratory techniques; it is used to detect the presence of a specific protein in a complex mixture extracted from cells. A weak increase in FAK expression was observed in tumors of grade 1 and 2 （1.65; 2.99） as compared to healthy tissues; it became particularly important in grade 3 tumors; the authors show that FAK levels significantly increased gradually according to the tumor stage.

Clinical significance of upregulated Rho GTPase activating protein 12 causing resistance to tyrosine kinase inhibitors in hepatocellular carcinoma

BACKGROUND Hepatocellular carcinoma(HCC)is a major health challenge with high incidence and poor survival rates in China.Systemic therapies,particularly tyrosine kinase inhibitors(TKIs),are the first-line treatment for advanced HCC,but resistance is common.The Rho GTPase family member Rho GTPase activating protein 12(ARHGAP12),which regulates cell adhesion and invasion,is a potential therapeutic target for overcoming TKI resistance in HCC.However,no studies on the expression of ARHGAP12 in HCC and its role in resistance to TKIs have been reported.AIM To unveil the expression of ARHGAP12 in HCC,its role in TKI resistance and its potential associated pathways.METHODS This study used single-cell RNA sequencing(scRNA-seq)to evaluate ARHGAP12 mRNA levels and explored its mechanisms through enrichment analysis.CellChat was used to investigate focal adhesion(FA)pathway regulation.We integrated bulk RNA data(RNA-seq and microarray),immunohistochemistry and proteomics to analyze ARHGAP12 mRNA and protein levels,correlating with clinical outcomes.We assessed ARHGAP12 expression in TKI-resistant HCC,integrated conventional HCC to explore its mechanism,identified intersecting FA pathway genes with scRNA-seq data and evaluated its response to TKI and immunotherapy.RESULTS ARHGAP12 mRNA was found to be highly expressed in malignant hepatocytes and to regulate FA.In malignant hepatocytes in high-score FA groups,MDK-[integrin alpha 6(ITGA6)+integrinβ-1(ITGB1)]showed specificity in ligand-receptor interactions.ARHGAP12 mRNA and protein were upregulated in bulk RNA,immunohistochemistry and proteomics,and higher expression was associated with a worse prognosis.ARHGAP12 was also found to be a TKI resistance gene that regulated the FA pathway.ITGB1 was identified as a crossover gene in the FA pathway in both scRNA-seq and bulk RNA.High expression of ARHGAP12 was associated with adverse reactions to sorafenib,cabozantinib and regorafenib,but not to immunotherapy.CONCLUSION ARHGAP12 expression is elevated in HCC and TKI-resistant HCC,and its regulatory role in FA may underlie the TKI-resistant phenotype.

黄芩素对人乳腺癌细胞系MDA-MB-231侵袭、迁移、上皮间充质转化的调控作用及其机制

目的观察黄岑素对人乳腺癌细胞系MDA-MB-231的侵袭、迁移及上皮间充质转化(EMT)的调控作用,探讨其可能作用机制。方法取对数生长期MDA-MB-231细胞分为一组、二组、三组及对照组,一组、二组、三组分别加入2.5、5、10μmol/L的黄岑素,对照组不做任何处理。培养48 h时采用划痕修复实验观察四组细胞迁移能力、采用Transwell侵袭实验观察四组细胞侵袭能力,采用Western Blotting法检测细胞EMT标志物波形蛋白(vimentin)及E-钙黏蛋白(E-cadherin)、整合素αv、β3、磷酸化黏着斑激酶(p-FAK)、磷酸化磷脂酰肌醇3激酶(整合素p-PI3K)。结果与对照组相比,黄岑素组细胞迁移率降低、侵袭细胞数少,细胞E-cadherin相对表达量高,vimentin、整合素αv、整合素β3、p-FAK、p-PI3K蛋白相对表达量低,且呈剂量依赖性(P均<0.05)。结论黄芩素抑制MDA-MB-231细胞的侵袭、迁移及EMT。黄岑素可能通过抑制整合素αv、整合素β3表达,进一步抑制p-FAK、p-PI3K蛋白表达,抑制MDA-MB-231的侵袭、迁移及EMT。

Focal adhesion kinase signaling is necessary for the hydrogen sulfide-enhanced proliferation,migration,and invasion of HTR8/SVneo human trophoblasts

Objective:Hydrogen sulfide(H_(2)S)has been elucidated that it promotes migration and invasion in human placenta trophoblasts.However,the signaling pathway underlying H_(2)S-based regulation of trophoblasts remains unknown.Hence,we investigated the potential effect of sodium hydrosulfide(NaHS),an exogenous H_(2)S donor,on extravillous trophoblasts.Methods:The Cell Counting Kit-8 was used to detect the proliferative activity of trophoblasts and to screen the optimal concentration of NaHS.The migration and invasion of HTR8/SVneo cells were measured by Transwell assays.Gene expression was determined by quantitative real-time PCR analysis.Protein expression was determined by western blot.Results:We found that NaHS could promote the proliferation,migration,and invasion of HTR8/SVneo cells.The phosphorylation of focal adhesion kinase(FAK),Src,and extracellular signal-regulated kinase(ERK)were activated by NaHS.Moreover,NaHS also upregulated the expression of matrix metalloproteinase-2(MMP-2)and MMP-9,downregulated the expression of E-cadherin in HTR8/SVneo cells.The application of NaHS could increase the expression of cystathionine-β-synthase.Conclusion:Both FAK-Src signaling and the upstream signaling cascade of ERK activation play a significant important role in NaHS-induced proliferation,migration,and invasion via upregulating activity of MMP-2,MMP-9,and downregulating E-cadherin in HTR8/SVneo cells.These novel findings may provide a strong foundation for the clinical application of H_(2)S donor drugs.

Degradation of FAK-targeting by proteolytic targeting chimera technology to inhibit the metastasis of hepatocellular carcinoma

Liver cancer is a prevalent malignant cancer,ranking third in terms of mortality rate.Metastasis and recurrence primarily contribute to the high mortality rate of liver cancer.Hepatocellular carcinoma(HCC)has low expression of focal adhesion kinase(FAK),which increases the risk of metastasis and recurrence.Nevertheless,the efficacy of FAK phosphorylation inhibitors is currently limited.Thus,investigating the mechanisms by which FAK affects HCC metastasis to develop targeted therapies for FAK may present a novel strategy to inhibit HCC metastasis.This study examined the correlation between FAK expression and the prognosis of HCC.Additionally,we explored the impact of FAK degradation on HCC metastasis through wound healing experiments,transwell invasion experiments,and a xenograft tumor model.The expression of proteins related to epithelial-mesenchymal transition(EMT)was measured to elucidate the underlying mechanisms.The results showed that FAK PROTAC can degrade FAK,inhibit the migration and invasion of HCC cells in vitro,and notably decrease the lung metastasis of HCC in vivo.Increased expression of E-cadherin and decreased expression of vimentin indicated that EMT was inhibited.Consequently,degradation of FAK through FAK PROTAC effectively suppressed liver cancer metastasis,holding significant clinical implications for treating liver cancer and developing innovative anti-neoplastic drugs.

MicroRNA-7 regulates glioblastoma cell invasion via targeting focal adhesion kinase expression

Background Invasion growth is the most characteristic biological phenotype of glioblastoma, but the molecular mechanism in glioma cell invasion is poorly understood. Recent data have showed that microRNA plays an essential role in tumor invasion. Our study aimed to explore the mechanism of miR-7 involved in the control of glioblastoma cell invasion. Methods Glioma cell invasion was evaluated by transwell and scratch assays after up-regulation of miR-7 using miR-7 mimics in U87 and U251 cells. Luciferase reporter assay was used to determine focal adhesion kinase （FAK） as a target of miR-7. The levels of miR-7, matrix metalloproteinases （MMP）-2 and MMP-9 mRNA were detected by PCR assay, and the levels of FAK, MMP-2, MMP-9, total and phosphorylation serine/threonine kinase （AKT）, and extracellular signal-regulated kinase （ERK） 1/2 were measured by Western blotting analysis. Results Over-expression of miR-7 inhibited the invasion and migration activity of U87 and U251 cells. And up-regulation of miR-7 reduced FAK protein expression, Further, luciferase reporter assay showed that miR-7 modulated FAK expression directly by binding 3＇UTR of FAK mRNA. In addition, miR-7 repressed p-ERK1/2 and p-AKT level, MMP-2 and MMP-9 expression. Finally, the inverse relationship between FAK and miR-7 expression was certificated in human glioma tissues. Conclusion To our knowledge, these data indicate for the first time that miR-7 directly regulates cell invasion by targeting FAK in glioblastoma and that miR-7 could be a potential therapeutic target for glioblastoma intervention.

Jianpijiedu Fang improves survival of hepatocarcinoma mice by affecting phosphatase and tensin homolog, phosphoinositide 3-kinase, and focal adhesion kinase

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effect of Jianpijiedu Fang (JPJDF) on phosphatase and tensin homolog (PTEN), phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K), and focal adhesion kinase (FAK), and on the survival of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) nude mice. METHODS: Forty male nude mice were randomly divided into 4 groups. Human HCC tissue was implanted in the livers of three groups. After 24 h, the three groups were treated respectively with JPJDF (37.5 g/kg), saline (20 mL/kg) and Tegafur (FT-207, 160 mg/kg) once a day for 10 weeks. The control group without implanting the tissue was concurrently treated with saline (20 mL/kg). The survival data and body weight of all mice were recorded, and expression levels of PTEN, PI3K and FAK in normal tissue and cancer tissue of the livers were eval-uated with immunohistochemical method. RESULTS: The cumulative survival rate of the mice in the JPJDF group was higher than those of the other groups. The rate of weight loss was the lowest in JPJDF group. The survivability and weight loss rate in FT-207 group were the poorest in all groups. The expression intensity of PTEN was higher in normal tissues than in cancer tissues, and lower in the normal tissues of HCC models than in that of mice without HCC. The PTEN expression intensity in normal tissue and cancer tissue from mice treated with FT-207 were lower than that from the mice treated with JPJDF or saline.The expression intensity of PI3K was higher in cancer tissue than in normal tissue. The PI3K expression intensity was the lowest in normal tissue and cancer tissue from mice treated with JPJDF, and the intensity from mice treated with FT-207 was the highest. In mice treated with JPJDF, the expression intensity of FAK was higher in the normal tissue and lower in the cancer tissue than those of the other treatment groups. CONCLUSION: The mechanism accounting for the prolonged survival of HCC-bearing mice treated with JPJDF might be related to the reduction in weight loss and the benign regulation of PTEN, PI3K, and FAK.

Regulation of mouse blastocyst adhesion,outgrowth and matrix metalloproteinase-2 by focal adhesion kinase

The interaction of extracellular matrix-integrin markedly influences the adhesion, outgrowth, differentiation and expression of serine proteinases by the blastocyst, so it is regarded as a vital factor in blastocyst implantation. Al- though the mechanism of extracellular interactions between extracellular matrix and integrins has been well elucidated, the roles of the signaling molecules in the extracellular ma- trix-integrin signal transduction pathway in blastocyst im- plantation are unknown. This limits the understanding of blastocyst implantation and ECM-integrin signal transduc- tion pathway. In the present study, in vitro blastocyst culture and indirect immunocytochemistry, matrix metallopro- teinases (MMPs) zymography and antisense oligodeoxynu- cleotide (ODN) were used to investigate the expression of a fundamental molecule of integrin-dependent signal trans- duction pathways, focal adhesion kinase (FAK), in mouse blastocysts and its influence on mouse blastocyst adhesion, outgrowth and MMP-2. The results showed that mouse blas- tocysts expressed FAK. FAK protein was clustered in the peripheral migrating trophoblast cells and dispersed in the central area of blastocyst outgrowth. Fibronectin triggered pro-MMP-2 and 64 kD MMP-2 activities. The antisense ODN to FAK attenuated pro-MMP-2 and 64 kD MMP-2 activities which decreased abruptly and tended to disappear with increasing concentrations of the antisense ODN. Both mouse blastocyst adhesion and outgrowth on fibronectin were also influenced by the antisense ODN. Up to 20 mg/mL of the antisense ODN concentration, the adhesion and out- growth rates were decreased in a dose-dependent manner. The results indicated that FAK influenced mouse blastocyst adhesion, outgrowth and MMP-2 activity by intracellular signal transduction. In other words, FAK regulates mouse implantation in terms of blastocyst adhesive and invasive abilities.

Activated focal adhesion kinase involved in adhesion and migration of vascular smooth muscle cells stimulated by fibronectin

OBJECTIVE: To study the effects of focal adhesion kinase (FAK) phosphorylation on smooth muscle cells (SMCs) adhesion and migration stimulated by fibronectin. METHODS: Adhesion and migration of cultured SMCs were stimulated by different concentrations of fibronectin (FN), FAK and its phosphorylation were detected by immunoprecipitation and Western blot. FAK antisense oligodeoxynucleotides (ODNs) were transfected into SMCs by cationic lipid to investigate its modulatory effects on tyrosine phosphorylation. SMCs adhesion and migration were also measured by morphological enumeration and modified Boyden Chambers, respectively. RESULTS: FAK were expressed when SMCs adhesion and migration were successfully simulated by different concentrations of FN. FAK phosphorylation were detected only at 20 microg/ml FN or more. FAK antisense ODNs were transfected efficiently by cationic lipid and FAK phosphorylation was inhibited substantially. The SMCs migration rate in the 5 - 60 microg/ml FN groups was reduced by 17.89% - 27.67%. Cell migration stimulated by FN at 10, 20, 40 and 60 microg/ml were reduced by 23.26%, 21.63%, 19.31% and 17.88%, respectively (P

GPER1 promotes estrogen receptor negative breast cancer cell migration and invasion via non-genomic activation of c-Src/NF-κB/focal adhesion kinase cascade

Breast cancer metastasis is the root cause of deaths from breast cancer.Currently,endocrine therapy resistance in estrogen receptor(ER)-positive(ER^(+))breast cancer remains a major clinical issue.Moreover,ER-negative(ER^(-))breast cancer is often associated with distant recurrence and death.G-protein-coupled ER(GPER1)participates in endocrine therapy resistance and is involved in the malignant progression of breast cancer.However,the underlying detailed mechanisms remain obscure.Here we investigated the role and mechanism of GPER1 in the activation of focal adhesion kinase(FAK)using ER^(+)or ER
breast cancer cell lines.In SK-Br-3 cells(ERa^(-)/β/GPER1^(+)),both 17b-estradiol(E2)and the GPER1 agonist G1 resulted in rapid FAK phosphorylation.This action is due to GPER1 interaction with the non-receptor tyrosine kinase c-Src and subsequent activation of nuclear factor kappa B(NF-kB)signaling.Silencing of GPER1,c-Src or the nuclear factor kappa B p65 subunit blocked E2-or G1-induced SK-Br-3 cell migration and invasion.In MCF-7 cells(ERa^(+)/β(+)/GPER1^(+)),silencing of GPER1,but not ERa or ERb,abolished FAK phosphorylation induced by E2 or G1.In MDA-MB-231 cells(ERa^(-)/β^(+)/GPER1^(-)),E2 or G1 was also unable to stimulate E2-induced FAK phosphorylation.However,E2 and G1 regained the ability to induce FAK phosphorylation under conditions of overexpression of GPER1.In conclusion,we demonstrated that GPER1,but not ERa or ERb,mediates FAK phosphorylation induced by E2 via the c-Src/p65 signaling pathway,which enhances cell migration and invasion.These findings may shed light on novel therapeutic strategies based on GPER1/FAK signaling pathways in suppression of breast cancer metastasis.

金雀异黄酮抑制OPN-FAK信号通路对非小细胞肺癌迁移和侵袭的影响

目的:探讨金雀异黄酮(GS)抑制骨桥蛋白(OPN)/黏着斑激酶(FAK)信号通路对非小细胞肺癌(NSCLC)迁移和侵袭的影响。方法:qRT-PCR检测四种NSCLC细胞系(H596、H520、A549、H1703)及正常人肺上皮细胞(BEAS-2B)中OPN、FAK mRNA表达水平;以A549细胞为研究目标,分别设置对照组、GS低浓度(GS-L)组(10μmoL/L)、GS中浓度(GS-M)组(20μmoL/L)、GS高浓度(GS-H)组(40μmoL/L)、重组骨桥蛋白(rOPN)组(15ng/mL)、GS-H+rOPN组(40μmoL/L GS+15ng/mL rOPN)。分别利用MTT法、流式细胞仪检测上述各组细胞增殖率、凋亡率;划痕实验及Transwell实验检测细胞迁移、侵袭变化;Western blot及qRT-PCR检测OPN/FAK信号通路相关基因和蛋白的表达。结果:与BEAS-2B细胞相比,A549细胞中OPN、FAK mRNA表达水平变化最为显著(P<0.05)。与对照组相比,GS-L组、GS-M组、GS-H组A549细胞增殖率、迁移率、侵袭及迁移数、OPN/FAK信号通路相关基因和蛋白表达显著降低,凋亡率显著增加(P<0.05);rOPN组A549细胞增殖率、迁移率、侵袭及迁移数、OPN/FAK信号通路相关基因和蛋白表达显著增加,凋亡率显著降低(P<0.05)。与GS-H组相比,GS-H+rOPN组A549细胞增殖率、迁移率、侵袭及迁移数、OPN/FAK信号通路相关基因和蛋白表达显著增加,凋亡率显著降低(P<0.05)。与rOPN组相比,GS-H+rOPN组A549细胞增殖率、迁移率、侵袭及迁移数、OPN/FAK信号通路相关基因和蛋白表达显著降低,凋亡率显著增加(P<0.05)。结论:GS可以抑制NSCLC-A549细胞的迁移、侵袭及增殖,促进其凋亡,可能与抑制OPN/FAK信号通路有关。

基于FAK/ERK途径探讨NRP-1对结直肠癌细胞的影响

目的探究神经纤毛蛋白-1(neuropilin-1,NRP-1)对结直肠癌(colorectal cancer,CRC)细胞行为的作用,及其对黏着斑激酶(focal adhesion kinase,FAK)/胞外信号调节激酶(extracellular signal-regulated kinases,ERK)信号途径的影响。方法将CRC细胞系DLD-1随机分为对照组、CT-707组、sh-NRP-1组、sh-NRP-1+CT-707组,按分组使用sh-NRP-1慢病毒液感染细胞与FAK抑制剂CT-707处理细胞,通过荧光显微镜观察感染慢病毒后细胞内增强型绿色荧光蛋白表达情况,实时荧光定量PCR和Western blot法检测细胞内NRP-1mRNA与蛋白的表达变化。CCK-8法和EdU染色检测细胞增殖能力,细胞划痕实验观察细胞划痕愈合率,Transwell实验检测细胞迁移与侵袭,Western blot法测定细胞内FAK/ERK相关蛋白表达情况。结果感染sh-NRP-1重组慢病毒的DLD-1细胞中可见明显绿色荧光,细胞内NRP-1mRNA相对表达量和蛋白相对表达量均显著下调(P<0.05),表明转染成功。与对照组比较,CT-707组和sh-NRP-1组的细胞增殖活性显著下降,EdU阳性百分比显著降低,细胞划痕愈合率显著降低,细胞迁移数目与侵袭数目均显著减少,FAK蛋白磷酸化水平和ERK蛋白磷酸化水平均显著下调(P<0.05);与sh-NRP-1组比较,sh-NRP-1+CT-707组细胞增殖活性显著下降,EdU阳性百分比和细胞划痕愈合率均显著降低,细胞迁移数目与侵袭数目也均显著减少,FAK蛋白磷酸化水平和ERK蛋白磷酸化水平均显著下调(P<0.05)。结论下调NRP-1表达能够发挥抑制CRC细胞增殖、迁移及侵袭的作用,该机制可能与调控FAK/ERK信号转导途径有关。

Activated focal adhesion kinase involved in adhesion and migration of vas cular smooth muscle cells stimulated by fibronectin

To study the effects of focal adhesion kinase (FAK) phosphorylation on smooth mu scle cells (SMCs) adhesion and migration stimulated by fibronectin Methods Adhesion and migration of cultured SMCs were stimulated by different concentrati ons of fibronectin (FN), FAK and its phosphorylation were detected by immunoprec ipitation and Western blot FAK antisense oligodeoxynucleotides (ODNs) were tra nsfected into SMCs by cationic lipid to investigate its modulatory effects on ty rosine phosphorylation SMCs adhesion and migration were also measured by morph ological enumeration and modified Boyden Chambers, respectively Results FAK were expressed when SMCs adhesion and migration were successfully simulated by different concentrations of FN FAK phosphorylation were detected only at 20 ?μg/ml FN or more FAK antisense ODNs were transfected efficiently by cationi c lipid and FAK phosphorylation was inhibited substantially The SMCs migration rate in the 5-60?μg/ml FN groups was reduced by 17 89%-27 67% Cell migrat ion stimulated by FN at 10, 20, 40 and 60?μg/ml were reduced by 23 26%, 21 6 3%, 19 31% and 17 88%, respectively ( P 【0 05) Conclusions FAK phosphorylation and FAK mediated signal transduction play important roles i n SMCs adhesion and migration stimulated by ECM The process can be inhibited e ffectively by FAK antisense ODNs

Focal adhesion kinase antisense oligodeoxynucleotides inhibit human pulmonary artery smooth muscle cells proliferation and promote human pulmonary artery smooth muscle cells apoptosis

Background Pulmonary artery smooth muscle cell (PASMC) proliferation plays an important role in pulmonary vessel structural remodelling At present, the mechanisms related to proliferation of PASMCs are not clear Focal adhesion kinase (FAK) is a widely expressed nonreceptor protein tyrosine kinase Recent research indicates that FAK is implicated in signalling pathways which regulate cytoskeletal organization, adhesion, migration, survival and proliferation of cells Furthermore, there are no reports about the role of FAK in human pulmonary artery smooth muscle cells (HPASMCs) We investigated whether FAK takes part in the intracellular signalling pathway involved in HPASMCs proliferation and apoptosis, by using antisense oligodeoxynucleotides (ODNs) to selectively suppress the expression of FAK protein Methods Cultured HPASMCs stimulated by fibronectin (40 μg/ml) were passively transfected with ODNs, sense FAK, mismatch sense and antisense FAK respectively Expression of FAK, Jun NH2 terminal kinase (JNK), cyclin dependent kinase 2 (CDK 2) and caspase 3 proteins were detected by immunoprecipitation and Western blots Cell cycle and cell apoptosis were analysed by flow cytometry In addition, cytoplasmic FAK expression was detected by immunocytochemical staining Results When compared with mismatch sense group, the protein expressions of FAK, JNK and CDK 2 in HPASMCs decreased in antisense FAK ODNs group and increased in sense FAK ODNs group significantly Caspase 3 expression upregulated in HPASMCs when treated with antisense ODNs and downregulated when treated with sense ODNs When compared with mismatch sense ODNs group, the proportion of cells at G 1 phase decreased significantly in sense ODNs group, while the proportion of cells at S phase increased significantly In contrast, compared with mismatch sense ODNs group, the proportion of cells at G 1 phase was increased significantly in antisense FAK ODNs group The level of cell apoptosis in antisense FAK group was higher than in the mismatch sense group and the latter was higher than sense FAK group In addition, the sense FAK ODNs group was strongly stained by immunocytochemistry, whereas the antisense FAK ODNs group was weakly stained Conclusions The results suggest that FAK relates to the proliferation of HPASMCs Antisense FAK ODNs inhibit HPASMCs proliferation and facilitate their apoptosis It is possible that FAK via JNK, CDK 2 signalling pathways enhances HPASMCs proliferation and via caspase 3 inhibits HPASMCs apoptosis