Proteasome inhibitor-resistant cells cause EMT-induction via suppression of E-cadherin by miR-200 and ZEB1

Int J Oncol. 2015 May;46(5):2251-60. doi: 10.3892/ijo.2015.2916. Epub 2015 Mar 4.

Abstract

Downregulation of E-cadherin (gene: CDH1) plays an important role in epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT), which is critical for normal development and disease states. As a result of long-term treatment of endometrial carcinoma Ishikawa cells with epoxomicin (EXM), the cells exhibited the phenotype for EXM-resistance (Ish/EXM cells). Moreover, CDH1 mRNA and its protein were suppressed and EMT was induced in Ish/EXM cells. Ish/EXM cells exhibited drug-resistance to other proteasome inhibitors, MG-132, PSI and PS-341 (Bortezomib). The proteasome inhibitor-resistant cells acquired invasiveness as a result of the chemotherapy. In Ish/EXM cells, E-cadherin was suppressed by upregulation of its transcriptional repressor ZEB1. Furthermore, expression of the miR-200 family (miR-200a, miR-200b, miR-200c and miR-141) found in Ishikawa cells was suppressed in Ish/EXM cells. Overexpression of the miR-200 family in Ish/EXM cells caused by transfection with the pre-miR-200 family induced downregulation of ZEB1 and enhanced expression of E-cadherin. Conversely, suppression of miR-200 expression in the Ishikawa cells by transfection with anti-miR-200 elevated the expression of ZEB1 and suppressed the expression of E-cadherin. These results suggest that acquirement of EXM-resistance in Ish/EXM cells induces up regulation of ZEB1 via suppression of the miR-200 family following suppression of E-cadherin. Since suppression of ZEB1 in Ish/EXM cells by treatment with its siRNA did not restore the miR-200 family expression, miR-200 family was placed upstream of ZEB1 to regulate the expression.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Blotting, Western
  • Cadherins / biosynthesis*
  • Cell Line, Tumor
  • Drug Resistance, Neoplasm / genetics
  • Endometrial Neoplasms / genetics*
  • Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition / genetics*
  • Female
  • Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic / genetics*
  • Homeodomain Proteins / genetics*
  • Humans
  • MicroRNAs / genetics*
  • Proteasome Inhibitors / pharmacology
  • Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction
  • Transcription Factors / genetics*
  • Zinc Finger E-box-Binding Homeobox 1

Substances

  • Cadherins
  • Homeodomain Proteins
  • MIRN200 microRNA, human
  • MicroRNAs
  • Proteasome Inhibitors
  • Transcription Factors
  • ZEB1 protein, human
  • Zinc Finger E-box-Binding Homeobox 1