Nesfatin-1/Nucleobindin-2 enhances cell migration, invasion, and epithelial-mesenchymal transition via LKB1/AMPK/TORC1/ZEB1 pathways in colon cancer

Oncotarget. 2016 May 24;7(21):31336-49. doi: 10.18632/oncotarget.9140.

Abstract

Recent studies indicate that a high level of nesfatin-1/Nucleobindin-2 (NUCB-2) is associated with poor outcome and promotes cell migration in breast cancer and prostate cancer. However, the role of NUCB2 is not well known in colon cancer. In this study, NUCB-2 level in colon cancer tissue was higher than that in non-tumor tissue. Suppression of NUCB-2 in a colon cancer cell line SW620 inhibited migration and invasion. The microarray analysis showed that low expression level of transcription factor ZEB1 in NUCB-2 knockdowned SW620 cells. In addition, expression level of epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT)-related molecules including N-cadherin, E-cadherin, β-catenin, Slug and Twist was affected by NUCB-2 suppression and ZEB1-denepdent pathway. The signaling pathway liver kinase B1(LKB1)/AMP-dependent protein kinase (AMPK)/target of rapamycin complex (TORC) 1 was involved in regulation of NUCB-2-mediated metastasis and EMT properties. Suppression of NUCB-2 inhibited tumor nodules formation in a murine colon tumor model as well. In summary, nesfatin-1/NUCB-2 enhanced migration, invasion and EMT in colon cancer cells through LKB1/AMPK/TORC1/ZEB1 pathways in vitro and in vivo.

Keywords: EMT; Nucleobindin-2 (NUCB-2); colon cancer; metastasis; nesfatin-1.

MeSH terms

  • AMP-Activated Protein Kinase Kinases
  • AMP-Activated Protein Kinases / genetics*
  • AMP-Activated Protein Kinases / metabolism
  • Adult
  • Animals
  • Calcium-Binding Proteins / genetics*
  • Calcium-Binding Proteins / metabolism
  • Cell Line, Tumor
  • Cell Movement / genetics*
  • Colonic Neoplasms / genetics*
  • Colonic Neoplasms / metabolism
  • Colonic Neoplasms / pathology
  • DNA-Binding Proteins / genetics*
  • DNA-Binding Proteins / metabolism
  • Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition / genetics*
  • Gene Expression Profiling / methods
  • Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic
  • Humans
  • Kaplan-Meier Estimate
  • Male
  • Mechanistic Target of Rapamycin Complex 1 / genetics*
  • Mechanistic Target of Rapamycin Complex 1 / metabolism
  • Mice, Inbred BALB C
  • Neoplasm Invasiveness
  • Neoplasms, Experimental / genetics
  • Neoplasms, Experimental / metabolism
  • Neoplasms, Experimental / pathology
  • Nerve Tissue Proteins / genetics*
  • Nerve Tissue Proteins / metabolism
  • Nucleobindins
  • Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases / genetics*
  • Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases / metabolism
  • RNA Interference
  • Signal Transduction / genetics
  • Zinc Finger E-box-Binding Homeobox 1 / genetics*
  • Zinc Finger E-box-Binding Homeobox 1 / metabolism

Substances

  • Calcium-Binding Proteins
  • DNA-Binding Proteins
  • NUCB2 protein, human
  • Nerve Tissue Proteins
  • Nucb1 protein, mouse
  • Nucleobindins
  • ZEB1 protein, human
  • Zinc Finger E-box-Binding Homeobox 1
  • Mechanistic Target of Rapamycin Complex 1
  • Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases
  • STK11 protein, human
  • AMP-Activated Protein Kinase Kinases
  • AMP-Activated Protein Kinases