Downregulation of SFRP2 facilitates cancer stemness and radioresistance of glioma cells via activating Wnt/β-catenin signaling

PLoS One. 2021 Dec 1;16(12):e0260864. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0260864. eCollection 2021.

Abstract

Secreted frizzled-related protein 2 (SFRP2) is a glycoprotein with frizzled-like cysteine-rich domain that binds with Wnt ligands or frizzled receptors to regulate Wnt signaling. SFRP2 is frequently hypermethylated in glioma patients, and analysis of TCGA data indicates that SFRP2 is one of the most downregulated genes in radiotherapy treated glioma patients. In the present study, we aimed to explore the potential function of SFRP2 in tumorigenesis and radioresistance of glioma. The RNA sequencing data of TCGA glioma samples were downloaded and analyzed. SFRP2 expression in 166 glioma patients was evaluated by qRT-PCR. The potential functions of SFRP2 in glioma were evaluated by loss-of-function assays and gain-of-function assays in glioma cell lines. We found that SFRP2 was downregulated in radiotherapy-treated glioma patients, and low SFRP2 expression was correlated with advanced tumor stage and poor prognosis. CRISP/Cas9-meidated SFRP2 knockdown promoted soft agar colony formation, cancer stemness and radioresistance of glioma cells, while enforced SFRP2 expression exhibited opposite effects. Moreover, Wnt/β-catenin signaling was activated in radiotherapy treated glioma patients. SFRP2 knockdown activated Wnt/β-catenin signaling in glioma cell lines, while overexpression of SFRP2 inhibited Wnt/β-catenin activation. Besides, pharmacological inhibition of Wnt/β-catenin signaling by XAV-939 abrogated the effects of SFRP2 knockdown on cancer stemness and radioresistance of glioma cells. Our data for the first time demonstrated a role of SFRP2 in radioresistance of glioma cells, and suggested that inhibition of Wnt/β-catenin signaling might be a potential strategy for increasing radiosensitivity of glioma patients.

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Brain Neoplasms / genetics
  • Brain Neoplasms / pathology*
  • Brain Neoplasms / radiotherapy
  • Cell Line, Tumor
  • Cell Proliferation / drug effects
  • Cell Proliferation / radiation effects
  • Down-Regulation* / drug effects
  • Female
  • Gene Expression Profiling / methods*
  • Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic / drug effects
  • Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic / radiation effects
  • Glioma / genetics
  • Glioma / pathology*
  • Glioma / radiotherapy
  • Heterocyclic Compounds, 3-Ring / pharmacology
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Membrane Proteins / genetics*
  • Mice
  • Neoplasm Grading
  • Neoplasm Transplantation
  • Neoplastic Stem Cells / drug effects
  • Neoplastic Stem Cells / metabolism*
  • Neoplastic Stem Cells / radiation effects
  • Prognosis
  • Radiation Tolerance* / drug effects
  • Sequence Analysis, RNA
  • Wnt Signaling Pathway / drug effects
  • Wnt Signaling Pathway / radiation effects

Substances

  • Heterocyclic Compounds, 3-Ring
  • Membrane Proteins
  • SFRP2 protein, human
  • XAV939

Grants and funding

The author(s) received no specific funding for this work.