SummaryROCK-Myosin II drives fast rounded-amoeboid migration in cancer cells during metastatic dissemination. Analysis of human melanoma biopsies revealed that amoeboid melanoma cells with high Myosin II activity are predominant in the invasive fronts of primary tumors in proximity to CD206+CD163+ tumor-associated macrophages and vessels. Proteomic analysis shows that ROCK-Myosin II activity in amoeboid cancer cells controls an immunomodulatory secretome, enabling the recruitment of monocytes and their differentiation into tumor-promoting macrophages. Both amoeboid cancer cells and their associated macrophages support an abnormal vasculature, which ultimately facilitates tumor progression. Mechanistically, amoeboid cancer cells perpetuate their behavior via ROCK-Myosin II-driven IL-1α secretion and NF-κB activation. Using an array of tumor models, we show that high Myosin II activity in tumor cells reprograms the innate immune microenvironment to support tumor growth. We describe an unexpected role for Myosin II dynamics in cancer cells controlling myeloid function via secreted factors.

Highlights d Therapy-resistant melanoma cells restore myosin II activity to increase survival d High myosin II activity identifies targeted and immunotherapy-resistant melanomas d ROCK-myosin II inhibition increases ROS-DNA damage and decreases PD-L1 and Tregs d ROCK inhibition enhances efficacy of MAPK inhibitors and immunotherapies

Transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-b) is an important regulatory suppressor factor in hepatocytes. However, liver tumor cells develop mechanisms to overcome its suppressor effects and respond to this cytokine by inducing other processes, such as the epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT), which contributes to tumor progression and dissemination. Recent studies have placed chemokines and their receptors at the center not only of physiological cell migration but also of pathological processes, such as metastasis in cancer. In particular, CXCR4 and its ligand, stromal cell-derived factor 1a (SDF-1a) / chemokine (C-X-C motif ) ligand 12 (CXCL12) have been revealed as regulatory molecules involved in the spreading and progression of a variety of tumors. Here we show that autocrine stimulation of TGF-b in human liver tumor cells correlates with a mesenchymal-like phenotype, resistance to TGF-b-induced suppressor effects, and high expression of CXCR4, which is required for TGF-b-induced cell migration. Silencing of the TGF-b receptor1 (TGFBR1), or its specific inhibition, recovered the epithelial phenotype and attenuated CXCR4 expression, inhibiting cell migratory capacity. In an experimental mouse model of hepatocarcinogenesis (diethylnitrosamine-induced), tumors showed increased activation of the TGF-b pathway and enhanced CXCR4 levels. In human hepatocellular carcinoma tumors, high levels of CXCR4 always correlated with activation of the TGF-b pathway, a less differentiated phenotype, and a cirrhotic background. CXCR4 concentrated at the tumor border and perivascular areas, suggesting its potential involvement in tumor cell dissemination. Conclusion: A crosstalk exists among the TGF-b and CXCR4 pathways in liver tumors, reflecting a novel molecular mechanism that explains the protumorigenic effects of TGF-b and opens new perspectives for tumor therapy. (HEPATOLOGY 2013;58:2032-2044

A role for the NADPH oxidases NOX1 and NOX2 in liver fibrosis has been proposed, but the implication of NOX4 is poorly understood yet. The aim of this work was to study the functional role of NOX4 in different cell populations implicated in liver fibrosis: hepatic stellate cells (HSC), myofibroblats (MFBs) and hepatocytes. Two different mice models that develop spontaneous fibrosis (Mdr2−/−/p19ARF−/−, Stat3Δhc/Mdr2−/−) and a model of experimental induced fibrosis (CCl4) were used. In addition, gene expression in biopsies from chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) patients or non-fibrotic liver samples was analyzed. Results have indicated that NOX4 expression was increased in the livers of all animal models, concomitantly with fibrosis development and TGF-β pathway activation. In vitro TGF-β-treated HSC increased NOX4 expression correlating with transdifferentiation to MFBs. Knockdown experiments revealed that NOX4 downstream TGF-β is necessary for HSC activation as well as for the maintenance of the MFB phenotype. NOX4 was not necessary for TGF-β-induced epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT), but was required for TGF-β-induced apoptosis in hepatocytes. Finally, NOX4 expression was elevated in patients with hepatitis C virus (HCV)-derived fibrosis, increasing along the fibrosis degree. In summary, fibrosis progression both in vitro and in vivo (animal models and patients) is accompanied by increased NOX4 expression, which mediates acquisition and maintenance of the MFB phenotype, as well as TGF-β-induced death of hepatocytes.