Gene/Protein Disease Symptom Drug Enzyme Compound
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Query: UMLS:C0699790 (colon cancer)
 28,837 document(s) hit in 31,850,051 MEDLINE articles (0.00 seconds)

The I1307K APC germline mutation is associated with an increased risk to colorectal cancer (CRC). Whether and to what extent the somatic features and the molecular pathways of cancer development in mutation carriers differ from colorectal cancer in noncarriers remains unknown. To gain insight into this issue, 52 Israeli patients with CRC, 24 of whom were I1307K APC mutation carriers, were analyzed. The expression pattern of genes known to be involved in the pathogenesis of sporadic CRC was assessed immunohistochemically: E-cadherin, beta-catenin, deleted in colon cancer (DCC), and p53. In addition, tumors were genotyped for somatic activating mutations in Ki-ras oncogene. Mutation carriers and noncarriers were comparable in age at diagnosis (64.3 +/- 10.1 years for carriers and 60.8 +/- 14.1 years for noncarriers), tumor location in the colon, and disease stages. Tumors of I1307K mutation carriers displayed positive p53 immunostaining and loss of beta-catenin, E-cadherin, and DCC expression more often compared with noncarriers, although none of these differences reached statistical significance. Mutation frequencies in the Ki-ras gene were similar in both groups. In conclusion, the molecular pathways in CRC in I1307K APC mutation carriers are seemingly similar to those of sporadic cases, but a larger study is clearly needed.
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PMID:Immunohistochemical analyses of colon cancer in I1307K APC mutation carriers compared with noncarriers. 1282 69

In subclones of the human colon cancer LoVo cell line, there is a reproducible spontaneous transition from an epithelioid (E) to a round (R) morphotype. The E to R transition is associated with increased cell growth, absence of E-cadherin-dependent compaction in a slow aggregation assay, loss of contact inhibition of motility and directional migration in a wound filling motility assay. Furthermore, none of the E subclones from LoVo was invasive into chick heart fragments. This is in contrast to the R subclones that were either nonadherent or adherent and invasive. Macroarray analysis demonstrated transcriptional downregulation of plakoglobin in R type LoVo cells and this was confirmed at the level of the mRNA by quantitative RT-PCR. Western blotting showed lower expression of all components of the E-cadherin/catenin complex in R subclones. Interestingly, treatment of R subclones with the demethylating agent 5-aza-2'-deoxycytidine resulted in restoration of the E morphotype, higher expression of E-cadherin, but not plakoglobin mRNA, and higher expression of E-cadherin and plakoglobin at the protein level.
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PMID:Functional and molecular characterization of the epithelioid to round transition in human colorectal cancer LoVo cells. 1456 48

Transcriptional repression of E-cadherin, characteristic of epithelial to mesenchymal transition, is often found also during tumor cell invasion. At metastases, migratory fibroblasts sometimes revert to an epithelial phenotype, by a process involving regulation of the E-cadherin-beta-catenin complex. We investigated the molecular basis of this regulation, using human colon cancer cells with aberrantly activated beta-catenin signaling. Sparse cultures mimicked invasive tumor cells, displaying low levels of E-cadherin due to transcriptional repression of E-cadherin by Slug. Slug was induced by beta-catenin signaling and, independently, by ERK. Dense cultures resembled a differentiated epithelium with high levels of E-cadherin and beta-catenin in adherens junctions. In such cells, beta-catenin signaling, ErbB-1/2 levels, and ERK activation were reduced and Slug was undetectable. Disruption of E-cadherin-mediated contacts resulted in nuclear localization and signaling by beta-catenin, induction of Slug and inhibition of E-cadherin transcription, without changes in ErbB-1/2 and ERK activation. This autoregulation of E-cadherin by cell-cell adhesion involving Slug, beta-catenin and ERK could be important in tumorigenesis.
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PMID:Autoregulation of E-cadherin expression by cadherin-cadherin interactions: the roles of beta-catenin signaling, Slug, and MAPK. 1462 71

Epidemiological and preclinical data indicate that vitamin D and its most active metabolite 1alpha,25-dihydroxyvitamin D(3) [1alpha,25(OH)(2)D(3)] have anticancer activity. Accordingly, clinical trials are under way using several nonhypercalcemic 1alpha,25(OH)(2)D(3) analogues against various neoplasms including colon cancer. 1alpha,25(OH)(2)D(3) induces proliferation arrest and epithelial differentiation of human SW480-ADH colon cancer cells. We examined the gene expression profiles associated with 1alpha,25(OH)(2)D(3) exposure using oligonucleotide microarrays. 1alpha,25(OH)(2)D(3) changed the expression levels of numerous previously unreported genes, including many involved in transcription, cell adhesion, DNA synthesis, apoptosis, redox status, and intracellular signaling. Most genes were up-regulated, and only a small fraction were down-regulated. Fourteen of 17 candidate genes studied were validated as 1alpha,25(OH)(2)D(3) target genes by Northern and Western blotting or immunocytochemistry. They included c-JUN, JUNB, JUND, FREAC-1/FoxF1, ZNF-44/KOX7, plectin, filamin, keratin-13, G(0)S2, and the putative tumor suppressors NES-1 and protease M. There was little overlap between genes regulated after short (4 h) or long (48 h) exposure. Gene regulatory effects of 1alpha,25(OH)(2)D(3) in SW480-ADH cells differed from those in LS-174T cells, which lack E-cadherin and do not differentiate in response to 1alpha,25(OH)(2)D(3). Data from this study reveal that 1alpha,25(OH)(2)D(3) causes a profound change in gene expression profiles and provide a mechanistic basis to the ongoing clinical studies using nonhypercalcemic vitamin D(3) derivatives for colon cancer prevention and treatment.
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PMID:Genetic signatures of differentiation induced by 1alpha,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3 in human colon cancer cells. 1463 6

The APC tumour suppressor gene is mutated in most colon cancers. A major role of APC is the downregulation of the beta-catenin/T-cell factor (Tcf)/lymphoid enhancer factor (LEF) signalling pathway; however, there are also suggestions that it plays a role in the organization of the cytoskeleton, and in cell adhesion and migration. For the first time, we have achieved stable expression of wild-type APC in SW480 colon cancer cells, which normally express a truncated form of APC. The ectopically expressed APC is functional, and results in the translocation of beta-catenin from the nucleus and cytoplasm to the cell periphery, and reduces beta-catenin/Tcf/LEF transcriptional signalling. E-cadherin is also translocated to the cell membrane, where it forms functional adherens junctions. Total cellular levels of E-cadherin are increased in the SW480APC cells and the altered charge distribution in the presence of full-length APC suggests that APC is involved in post-translational regulation of E-cadherin localization. Changes in the location of adherens junction proteins are associated with tighter cell-cell adhesion in SW480APC cells, with consequent changes in cell morphology, the actin cytoskeleton and cell migration in a wound assay. SW480APC cells have a reduced proliferation rate, a reduced ability to form colonies in soft agar and do not grow tumours in a xenograft mouse tumour model. By regulating the intracellular transport of junctional proteins, we propose that APC plays a role in cell adhesion in addition to its known role in beta-catenin transcriptional signalling.
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PMID:Restoration of full-length adenomatous polyposis coli (APC) protein in a colon cancer cell line enhances cell adhesion. 1467 5

Progression of human colon cancer is often associated with elevated expression and activity of the Src family tyrosine kinase (SFK). SFK is ordinarily in equilibrium between inactive and primed states by a balance of negative regulatory kinase Csk and its counteracting tyrosine phosphatase(s), both of which act on the regulatory C-terminal tyrosine of SFK. To evaluate the contribution of the regulatory system of SFK in cancer progression, we here modulated the equilibrium status of SFK by introducing wild-type or dominant-negative Csk in human epithelial colon cancer cells, HCT15 and HT29. Overexpression of wild-type Csk induced decreased SFK activation, increased cell-cell contacts mediated by E-cadherin, decreased the number of focal contacts and decreased cell adhesion/migration and in vitro invasiveness. Conversely, expression of a dominant-negative Csk resulted in elevated SFK activation, enhanced phosphorylation of FAK and paxilllin, enhanced cell scattering, an increased number of focal contacts, dramatic rearrangement of actin cytoskeleton and increased cell adhesion/migration and in vitro invasiveness. In these scattered cells, however, localization, expression and phosphorylation of either E-cadherin or beta-catenin were not significantly affected, suggesting that the E-cadherin-mediated cell-cell contact is indirectly regulated by SFK. Furthermore, all these events occurred absolutely dependent on integrin-mediated cell adhesion. These findings demonstrate that Csk defines the ability of integrin-SFK-mediated cell adhesion signaling that influences the metastatic potential of cancer cells.
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PMID:Csk defines the ability of integrin-mediated cell adhesion and migration in human colon cancer cells: implication for a potential role in cancer metastasis. 1471 34

Phosphatidylinositol 3'-kinase (PI3K) activity is required for Ras- mediated transformation of intestinal epithelial cells (IECs). The mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) and its downstream pathways control the translation of specific mRNAs that are required for cell proliferation and transformation. Here, we elucidated the roles of PI3K and mTOR in K-Ras-mediated transformation of IECs (IEC-6). Induction of K-Ras activated PI3K and mTOR in IECs. p70 ribosomal protein S6 kinase activity was induced by K-Ras in a PI3K- and mTOR-dependent manner. K-Ras did not significantly alter the phosphorylation of eukaryotic initiation factor 4E-binding protein 1. Treatment with either LY-294002 or rapamycin inhibited IEC proliferation and resulted in G(1) growth arrest. However, it was noted that inhibition of mTOR enhanced K-Ras-mediated morphological transformation and increased invasiveness of IECs in a mitogen-activated protein/extracellular signal-regulated kinase-dependent manner. Furthermore, inhibition of PI3K or mTOR impaired the growth of an array of colon cancer cells. Spindle transformation, reduced E-cadherin, and increased invasiveness were observed in LY-294002-treated Moser cells. Thus, our results suggest that K-Ras-mediated transformation of IECs involves activation of the PI3K/mTOR pathway. Inhibition of PI3K/mTOR activity leads to G(1) growth arrest of transformed IECs. On the other hand, inhibition of PI3K or mTOR may induce the epithelial to mesenchymal transdifferentiation of IECs under certain circumstances.
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PMID:Roles of phosphatidylinositol 3'-kinase and mammalian target of rapamycin/p70 ribosomal protein S6 kinase in K-Ras-mediated transformation of intestinal epithelial cells. 1472 29

The mechanisms by which growth factors cooperate with cell adhesion molecules to modulate epithelial cell motility remain poorly understood. Here, we investigated the role of the E-cadherin/catenin complex in insulin-like growth factor (IGF-I)-dependent cell migration and invasion. We used variants of the HCT-8 colon cancer family that differ in their expression of alphaE-catenin, an intracellular molecule that links the E-cadherin/catenin complex to the actin cytoskeleton. Migration was determined using a monolayer wound model and cell invasion by the penetration of the cells into type-I collagen gels. We showed that alpha-catenin-deficient cells were not able to migrate in cohort upon IGF-I stimulation. Transfection of these cells with alpha-catenin isoforms (alphaN- or alphaT-catenin) restored migratory response IGF-I. These results suggest that alpha-catenins are involved in the signal issued from the E-cadherin/catenin complex to regulate IGF-I-stimulated migration. In contrast, IGF-I promoted invasion of both alpha-catenin-deficient and alpha-catenin-expressing cells, indicating that alpha-catenin did not participate in the regulation of IGF-I-induced invasion. Inhibition of E-cadherin function by treatment with MB-2 monoclonal antibodies inhibited both IGF-I-dependent cell migration and invasion. Taken together, our results indicate that functional alpha-catenin is essential for migration but not for invasion, while E-cadherin is involved in both phenomena.
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PMID:Alpha-catenin is required for IGF-I-induced cellular migration but not invasion in human colonic cancer cells. 1496 Oct 74

Colorectal cancer is often lethal when invasion and/or metastasis occur. Tumor progression to the metastatic phenotype is mainly dependent on tumor cell invasiveness. Secondary bile acids, particularly deoxycholic acid (DCA), are implicated in promoting colon cancer growth and progression. Whether DCA modulates beta-catenin and promotes colon cancer cell growth and invasiveness remains unknown. Because beta-catenin and its target genes urokinase-type plasminogen activator receptor (uPAR) and cyclin D1 are overexpressed in colon cancers, and are linked to cancer growth, invasion, and metastasis, we investigated whether DCA activates beta-catenin signaling and promotes colon cancer cell growth and invasiveness. Our results show that low concentrations of DCA (5 and 50 microM) significantly increase tyrosine phosphorylation of beta-catenin, induce urokinase-type plasminogen activator, uPAR, and cyclin D1 expression and enhance colon cancer cell proliferation and invasiveness. These events are associated with a substantial loss of E-cadherin binding to beta-catenin. Inhibition of beta-catenin with small interfering RNA significantly reduced DCA-induced uPAR and cyclin D1 expression. Blocking uPAR with a neutralizing antibody significantly suppressed DCA-induced colon cancer cell proliferation and invasiveness. These findings provide evidence for a novel mechanism underlying the oncogenic effects of secondary bile acids.
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PMID:Deoxycholic acid activates beta-catenin signaling pathway and increases colon cell cancer growth and invasiveness. 1500 25

Colon carcinoma arising in inflammatory bowel disease often exhibits aggressive behavior compared to sporadic carcinomas. The rationale for the different biological behaviors of these two groups of tumors is not fully understood. In this study, we have examined carcinomas arising in inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) and sporadic carcinomas (SCA) for molecular differences that may provide clues for the behavioral disparity of these tumors. Thirty-eight colon carcinomas (12 from ulcerative colitis, 5 from Crohn's disease, and 21 SCA) were analyzed by immunohistochemistry for cell adhesion molecules (E-cadherin, beta-catenin, CD44), cell cycle regulatory proteins (cyclin D1, p27, p21), mismatch repair proteins (hMLH1, hMSH2), cyclooxygenase-2 and DPC4. Carcinomas arising in IBD showed significant decrease in expression of cell adhesion molecules, the cell cycle inhibitor protein, p21, and increased expression of cyclooxygenase-2 compared to sporadic carcinomas. No differences were observed in the expression of cell cycle regulatory proteins p27, cyclin D1, DPC4 and mismatch repair proteins between these two groups of tumors. Decreased expression of p21 as well as adhesion molecules may provide increased impetus for the aggressive behavior of tumors arising in inflammatory bowel disease.
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PMID:Comparative analysis of cell adhesion molecules, cell cycle regulatory proteins, mismatch repair genes, cyclooxygenase-2, and DPC4 in carcinomas arising in inflammatory bowel disease and sporadic colon cancer. 1506 31


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