Myosins as fundamental components during tumorigenesis: diverse and indispensable

Abstract

Myosin is a kind of actin-based motor protein. As the crucial functions of myosin during tumorigenesis have become increasingly apparent, the profile of myosin in the field of cancer research has also been growing. Eighteen distinct classes of myosins have been discovered in the past twenty years and constitute a diverse superfamily. Various myosins share similar structures. They all convert energy from ATP hydrolysis to exert mechanical stress upon interactions with microfilaments. Ongoing research is increasingly suggesting that at least seven kinds of myosins participate in the formation and development of cancer. Myosins play essential roles in cytokinesis failure, chromosomal and centrosomal amplification, multipolar spindle formation and DNA microsatellite instability. These are all prerequisites of tumor formation. Subsequently, myosins activate various processes of tumor invasion and metastasis development including cell migration, adhesion, protrusion formation, loss of cell polarity and suppression of apoptosis. In this review, we summarize the current understanding of the roles of myosins during tumorigenesis and discuss the factors and mechanisms which may regulate myosins in tumor progression. Furthermore, we put forward a completely new concept of “chromomyosin” to demonstrate the pivotal functions of myosins during karyokinesis and how this acts to optimize the functions of the members of the myosin superfamily.

The repertoire of serous ovarian cancer non-genetic heterogeneity revealed by single-cell sequencing of normal fallopian tube epithelial cells

“…In contrast, the EMT marker was highly expressed in EMT-high tumor confirming that EMT-high tumors truly express these genes ( Figure 5E), further confirming EMT-high as a genuine tumor subtype. SPARC, one of the EMT markers, was previously described in the mesenchymal subtype of HGSOC (Tothill et al, 2008), while certain other markers were reported to be related to EMT in ovarian cancer or other cancers (Anastassiou et al, 2011;Ford et al, 2013;Li and Yang, 2016). Nevertheless, the link between this tumor subtype and a particular FTE cellular subtype was previously unrevealed.…”

The IL-33/ST2 pathway shapes the regulatory T cell phenotype to promote intestinal cancer

“…4m). These genes or the ligands of their products have been involved in intestinal inflammation or CRC development, [22][23][24][25][26] which suggests an active migration of ST2 + Tregs to the tumor tissue.…”

Altered mitochondrial trafficking as a novel mechanism of cancer metastasis

“…Like yeast Myo2, human MYO5A was shown to directly associate with mitochondria in melanoma and mouse pancreatic cells . In addition to associating with mitochondria, there is mounting evidence that class V MYOs are highly expressed in cancer . Namely, microarray analysis of pituitary adenomas pointed to stronger invasive phenotypes when MYO5A was overexpressed compared to noninvasive samples .…”

“…53,54 In addition to associating with mitochondria, there is mounting evidence that class V MYOs are highly expressed in cancer. 55,56 Namely, microarray analysis of pituitary adenomas pointed to stronger invasive phenotypes when MYO5A was overexpressed compared to noninvasive samples. 57 In melanoma, MYO5A was shown to export methotrexate and knockdowns subsequently sensitized cells to treatment.…”