7041

TGFB1I1

Malignant progression of astrocytoma is a multistep process with the integration of genetic abnormalities including grade progression and subtypes transition. Established biomarkers of astrocytomas, like IDH1 and TP53 mutation, were not associated with malignant progression. To identify new biomarker(s) contributing to malignant progression, we collected 252 samples with whole genome mRNA expression profile [34 normal brain tissue (NBT), 136 grade II astrocytoma (AII) and 82 grade III astrocytoma (AIII)]. Bioinformatics analysis revealed that EMT-associated pathways were most significantly altered along with tumor grades progress with up-regulation of 17 genes. Up-regulation of these genes was further confirmed by RNA-sequencing in 128 samples. Survival analysis revealed that high expression of these genes indicates a poor survival outcome. We focused on TGFB1I1 (TGF-beta1 induced transcript 1) whose expression correlation with WHO grades was further validated by qPCR in 6 cell lines of different grades and 49 independent samples (36 AIIs and 13 AIIIs). High expression of TGFB1I1 was found associated with subtype transition and EMT pathways activation. The conclusion was confirmed using immunohistochemistry in tissue microarrays. Studies in vitro and in vivo using TGF-beta1 and TGFB1I1 shRNA demonstrated that TGFB1I1 is required for TGF-beta stimulated EMT that contributes to malignant progression of astrocytomas.

epithelial-mesenchymal transformation (EMT) in response to TGFbeta1 is a coordinated process of tissue morphogenesis that occurs during embryonic development as well as during certain pathologic events including kidney tubulointerstitial fibrosis. It is characterized by the disassembly of cell-cell junctions and dramatic alterations in the actin cytoskeleton that facilitates cell-matrix adhesion and stimulates migration. The focal adhesion adapter protein, Hic-5, has previously been reported to be upregulated during TGFbeta1-induced EMT in mouse mammary epithelial cells and the current study recapitulates this result in both mouse kidney proximal tubule epithelial, MCT, cells and human mammary epithelial, MCF10A, cells. To evaluate a causative role for Hic-5 in EMT, Hic-5 RNA interference (siRNA) was used to prevent Hic-5 expression in response to TGFbeta1 stimulation and was shown to suppress cell migration and actin stress fiber formation. It also resulted in the retention of a robust epithelial cell morphology characterized by elevated E-cadherin protein expression and well-organized adherens junctions. In addition, Hic-5 siRNA treatment led to the suppression of TGFbeta1 induction of RhoA activation. In contrast, forced expression of Hic-5 led to the formation of ROCK-dependent actin stress fibers. Furthermore, the induction of Hic-5 expression in response to TGFbeta1 was shown to be a RhoA/ROCK I-dependent process. Together, these data implicate Hic-5 as a key regulator of EMT and suggest that RhoA stimulated Hic-5 expression in response to TGFbeta1 may be functioning in a feed forward mechanism whereby Hic-5 maintains the mesenchymal phenotype through sustained RhoA activation and signaling.