Novel participation of transglutaminase-2 through c-Jun N-terminal kinase activation in sphingosylphosphorylcholine-induced keratin reorganization of PANC-1 cells.

Sphingosylphosphorylcholine (SPC) is found at increased levels in the malignant ascites of tumor patients and induces perinuclear reorganization of keratin 8 (K8) filaments that contribute to the viscoelasticity of metastatic cancer cells. In this study, we investigated the role and molecular mechanisms of Tgase-2 in SPC-induced K8 phosphorylation and perinuclear reorganization in PANC-1 cells (PAN(WT)), and in PANC-1 cells that stably expressed shTgase-2 or Tgase-2 (PAN(shTg2) and PAN(Tg2)). SPC induces the expression of Tgase-2 in a time- and dose-dependent manner. Gene silencing of Tgase-2 or cystamine suppressed the SPC-induced phosphorylation and perinuclear reorganization of K8 and suppressed the SPC-induced migration of PANC-1 cells. An inhibitor of c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK), SP600125, suppressed the SPC-induced phosphorylation of serine 431 in K8 and keratin reorganization. Next, we examined the effect of Tgase-2 on JNK activation of serine 431 phosphorylation in K8. Tgase-2 gene silencing suppressed the expression of active form JNK (pJNK). Constitutive or tetracyclin-induced conditional expression of Tgase-2 increased the levels of pJNK. Tgase-2 was coimmunoprecipitated with K8 and JNK. In addition, K8 was coimmunoprecipitated with Tgase-2 and JNK. JNK was also coimmunoprecipitated with K8 and Tgase-2. Overall, these results suggest that Tgase-2 is involved in SPC-induced phosphorylation and perinuclear reorganization of K8 by activating JNK and forming a triple complex with K8 and JNK. Therefore, SPC-induced Tgase-2 might be a new target for modulating keratin reorganization, metastasis of cancer cells and JNK activation.

Park MK ，Lee HJ ，Shin J ，Noh M ，Kim SY ，Lee CH ... -  《-》

Novel effects of FTY720 on perinuclear reorganization of keratin network induced by sphingosylphosphorylcholine: Involvement of protein phosphatase 2A and G-protein-coupled receptor-12.

Sphingosylphosphorylcholine (SPC) evokes perinuclear reorganization of keratin 8 (K8) filaments and regulates the viscoelasticity of metastatic cancer cells leading to enhanced migration. Few studies have addressed the compounds modulating the viscoelasticity of metastatic cancer cells. We studied the effects of sphingosine (SPH), sphingosine 1-phosphate (S1P), FTY720 and FTY720-phosphate (FTY720P) on SPC-induced K8 phosphorylation and reorganization using Western blot and confocal microscopy, and also evaluated the elasticity of PANC-1 cells by atomic force microscopy. FTY720, FTY720P, SPH, and S1P concentration-dependently inhibited SPC-evoked phosphorylation and reorganization of K8, and migration of PANC-1 cells. SPC triggered reduction and narrow distribution of elastic constant K and conversely, FTY720 blocked them. A common upstream regulator of JNK and ERK, protein phosphatase 2A (PP2A) expression was reduced by SPC, but was restored by FTY720 and FTY72P. Butyryl forskolin, a PP2A activator, suppressed SPC-induced K8 phosphorylation and okadaic acid, a PP2A inhibitor, induced K8 phosphorylation. Gene silencing of PP2A also led to K8 phosphorylation, reorganization and migration. We also investigated the involvement of GPR12, a high-affinity SPC receptor, in SPC-evoked keratin phosphorylation and reorganization. GPR12 siRNA suppressed the SPC-triggered phosphorylation and reorganization of K8. GPR12 overexpression stimulated keratin phosphorylation and reorganization even without SPC. FTY720 and FTY720P suppressed the GPR12-induced phosphorylation and reorganization of K8. The collective data indicates that FTY720 and FTY720P suppress SPC-induced phosphorylation and reorganization of K8 in PANC-1 cells by restoring the expression of PP2A via GPR12. These findings might be helpful in the development of compounds that modulate the viscoelasticity of metastatic cancer cells and various SPC actions.

Park MK ，Park S ，Kim HJ ，Kim EJ ，Kim SY ，Kang GJ ，Byun HJ ，Kim SH ，Lee H ，Lee CH ... -  《-》

Epithelial membrane protein 2 regulates sphingosylphosphorylcholine-induced keratin 8 phosphorylation and reorganization: Changes of PP2A expression by interaction with alpha4 and caveolin-1 in lung cancer cells.

Sphingosylphosphorylcholine (SPC) is found at increased in the malignant ascites of tumor patients and induces perinuclear reorganization of keratin 8 (K8) filaments that contribute to the viscoelasticity of metastatic cancer cells. However, the detailed mechanism of SPC-induced K8 phosphorylation and reorganization is not clear. We observed that SPC dose-dependently reduced the expression of epithelial membrane protein 2 (EMP2) in lung cancer cells. Then, we examined the role of EMP2 in SPC-induced phosphorylation and reorganization of K8 in lung cancer cells. We found that SPC concentration-dependently reduced EMP2 in A549, H1299, and other lung cancer cells. This was verified at the mRNA level by RT-PCR and real-time PCR (qPCR), and intracellular variation through confocal microscopy. EMP2 gene silencing and stable lung cancer cell lines established using EMP2 lentiviral shRNA induced K8 phosphorylation and reorganization. EMP2 overexpression reduced K8 phosphorylation and reorganization. We also observed that SPC-induced loss of EMP2 induces phosphorylation of JNK and ERK via reduced expression of protein phosphatase 2A (PP2A). Loss of EMP2 induces ubiquitination of protein phosphatase 2A (PP2A). SPC induced caveolin-1 (cav-1) expression and EEA1 endosome marker protein but not cav-2. SPC treatment enhanced the binding of cav-1 and PP2A and lowered binding of PP2A and alpha4. Gene silencing of EMP2 increased and gene silencing of cav-1 reduced migration of A549 lung cancer cells. Overall, these results suggest that SPC induces EMP2 down-regulation which reduces the PP2A via ubiquitination induced by cav-1, which sequestered alpha4, leading to the activation of ERK and JNK.

Lee EJ ，Park MK ，Kim HJ ，Kim EJ ，Kang GJ ，Byun HJ ，Lee CH ... -  《-》

Transglutaminase-2 induces N-cadherin expression in TGF-β1-induced epithelial mesenchymal transition via c-Jun-N-terminal kinase activation by protein phosphatase 2A down-regulation.

Epithelial-mesenchymal-transition (EMT) is a key event for tumour cells to initiate metastasis leading to switching of E-cadherin to N-cadherin. Transglutaminase-2 (Tgase-2) expression is increased in TGF-β1-induced EMT in A549 lung cancer cells or other lung cancer cells. The role and underlying mechanism of Tgase-2 in N-cadherin switching of TGF-β1-induced EMT are not known. The involvement and mechanisms of Tgase-2 were investigated in A549 cells using chemical inhibitors, gene silencing and over-expression. TGF-β1-induced EMT was suppressed by cystamine or gene silencing of Tgase-2. Suppression of Tgase-2 or the c-Jun-N-terminal kinase (JNK) inhibitor, SP600125, significantly reduced and over-expression of Tgase-2 increased the expression of N-cadherin. The relationship between Tgase-2 and JNK in the TGF-β1-induced EMT of A549 cells was examined using Tgase-2 over-expressed A549 cells (A549(TG2)) and Tgase-2 silenced A549 cells (A549(shTG2)). JNK activation was significantly increased in A549(TG2) cells and decreased in A549(shTG2) cells. In contrast, PP2A expression was decreased in A549(TG2) and A549 cells and increased in A549(shTG2) cells. The involvement of Tgase-2 in N-cadherin expression was also confirmed in an in vivo lung cancer orthotopic model by injection of A549(WT) and A549(shTG2) cells into SCID mice. Tgase-2 expressing A549(WT) cells-injected mice group showed increased expressions of N-cadherin and JNK activation, but decreased expression of PP2A in lung cancer tissue comparing with the A549(shTG2) cells-injected group. These results suggested that Tgase-2 induces N-cadherin expression of TGF-β1-induced EMT via JNK activation by PP2A down-regulation, and Tgase-2/PP2A/JNK might be a novel axis that affects N-cadherin switching in the EMT of A549 lung cancer cells.

Park MK ，You HJ ，Lee HJ ，Kang JH ，Oh SH ，Kim SY ，Lee CH ... -  《-》

Ethacrynic Acid Inhibits Sphingosylphosphorylcholine-Induced Keratin 8 Phosphorylation and Reorganization via Transglutaminase-2 Inhibition.

Byun HJ ，Kang KJ ，Park MK ，Lee HJ ，Kang JH ，Lee EJ ，Kim YR ，Kim HJ ，Kim YW ，Jung KC ，Kim SY ，Lee CH ... -  《-》