No abstract

As a component of p53-dependent lncRNA (long non-coding RNA), PANDAR (the promoter of CDKN1A antisense DNA damage activated RNA) participates in the epigenetic regulation in human cancer. However, the involvement of PANDAR in cancer chemoresistance is unknown. In this study, we report that PANDAR serves as a negative regulator of cisplatin sensitivity in human ovarian cancer via PANDAR-SRFS2-p53 feedback regulation in nuclear. Our data showed that among the drugs commonly used in ovarian cancer therapy, cisplatin induces higher levels of PANDAR compared with doxorubicin and paclitaxel. We also proved that PANDAR exhibited higher expression in cisplatin-resistant ovarian cancer tissues and cells, compared with cisplatin-sensitive ones, and this expression pattern depends on wild-type p53 (wt-p53), not mutant-p53 (mt-p53). In vitro and in vivo, PANDAR overexpression improved cell survival rate and tumor growth in response to cisplatin, while depletion of PANDAR leads to a reduced tumor growth. Further investigation revealed that PANDAR-reduced cisplatin sensitivity was likely or partly due to the PANDAR-binding protein SFRS2 (arginine/serine-rich 2), a splicing factor with the ability to negative regulate p53 and its phosphorylation at Serine 15 (Ser15). This feedback regulation of PANDAR–SFRS2–p53 leads to a reduced transactivation of p53-related pro-apoptotic genes, such as PUMA (p53-upregulated modulator of apoptosis). In addition, in platinum-treated patients with relapsed ovarian cancer, resistant period was positively correlated with the expression of PANDAR and SFRS2, and inversely associated with expression of p53-Ser15 and PUMA in these clinical tissues. Last but not least, the role of PANDAR in chemoresistance was confirmed in patients with ovarian cancer. These findings reveal a novel regulatory maneuver of cancer cells in response to chemostress, and might shed light on overcoming cisplatin resistance in ovarian cancer.

Patients with cervical cancer show minimal clinical response to the tyrosine kinase inhibitor gefitinib, which targets the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR). The molecular mechanisms underlying sensitivity to gefitinib are unknown. The purpose of this study was to investigate the possible mechanism by which microRNA-221 (miR-221) affects sensitivity to gefitinib. We showed that miR-221 expression was significantly increased in cervical cancer tissues compared with adjacent normal tissues. Upregulation of miR-221 expression in cervical cancer cells decreased PTEN expression levels, resulting in increased pAkt and BCL-2 expression. Importantly, gefitinib sensitivity was decreased by the upregulation of miR-221, which was blocked by pcDNA-PTEN co-transfection or by the phosphatidylinositol-3 kinase (PI3K) inhibitor LY294002. These data suggest that miR-221 can reduce the sensitivity of cervical cancer cells to gefitinib through the PTEN/PI3K/Akt signaling pathway. miR-221 represents a potential target to increase the sensitivity to gefitinib in cervical cancer treatment.

Matrix metalloproteinase-1 (MMP-1) has been identified as an important participant in tumor invasion, metastasis and angiogenesis. The purpose of the present study was to investigate the effects of epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) localization to lipid rafts on signaling pathways involved in the regulation of MMP-1 expression in SiHa cells, a cervical cancer cell line. EGFR activation by EGF specifically induced MMP-1 expression at both the messenger RNA and protein levels. Additionally, it was observed that EGFR localized to lipid rafts, and that the redistribution of EGFR induced by lipid raft disruption strengthened EGF-induced MMP-1 expression. MMP-1 induction was blocked by the mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) kinase inhibitors PD98059 and U0126. Our results suggested that lipid rafts provide a platform to inhibit EGFR regulation of MMP-1 in SiHa cells through the MAPK/extracellular signal-regulated kinase signaling pathway.

Endometriosis is a chronic disorder characterized by the implantation of endometrial glands and stroma outside the uterus. However, the pathogenesis of endometriosis is still unclear. To date, there is no fully effective treatment without trauma because of various side effects. Recent data suggest that ferroptosis is a novel recognized form of nonapoptosis-regulated cell death characterized by iron-dependent and lethal lipid peroxidation accumulation, showing great promise in the treatment of many diseases. In the present study, we verified that erastin induced ferroptosis in ectopic endometrial stromal cells (EESCs). Furthermore, we found that the expression of metastasis-associated lung adenocarcinoma transcript 1 (MALAT1) was decreased during erastin-induced ferroptosis. Knockdown of MALAT1 significantly aggravated the inhibition of cell viability and increased intracellular iron, Liperfluo, and MDA levels in EESCs upon erastin treatment. Mechanistically, we demonstrated that MALAT1 served as a competing endogenous RNA of miR-145-5p to regulate the expression of MUC1, a suppressor of ferroptosis. MALAT1 knockdown-mediated ferroptotic cell death and MUC1 downregulation could be abrogated by inhibition of miR-145-5p. In addition, miR-145-5p inhibition-mediated ferroptotic cell death could be abolished by MUC1 knockdown. Furthermore, erastin-induced ferroptosis shrunk endometriotic lesions via the MALAT1/miR-145-5p/MUC1 axis in vivo. Taken together, our data indicate that knockdown of MALAT1 facilitates ferroptosis upon erastin treatment via miR-145-5p/MUC1 signaling. The synergistic effect of MALAT1 knockdown and erastin induction in ferroptosis may be a new therapeutic strategy for endometriosis.