Nkx2.8 Inhibits Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition in Bladder Urothelial Carcinoma via Transcriptional Repression of Twist1

Cancer Res. 2018 Mar 1;78(5):1241-1252. doi: 10.1158/0008-5472.CAN-17-1545. Epub 2018 Jan 8.

Abstract

Epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) promotes metastasis, which is the main cause of bladder urothelial carcinoma-related death. Loss of the candidate tumor-suppressor gene Nkx2.8 has been associated with urothelial carcinoma lymph node metastasis. Here, we show that enforced expression of Nkx2.8 is sufficient to inhibit EMT, reduce motility, and blunt invasiveness of urothelial carcinoma cells. Mechanistic investigations showed that Nkx2.8 negatively regulated expression of the EMT inducer Twist1 in urothelial carcinoma cells, at both the level of mRNA and protein accumulation. Nkx2.8 bound directly to the promoter region of this gene and transcriptionally repressed its expression. Twist1 upregulation reversed EMT inhibition by Nkx2.8, restoring the invasive phenotype of urothelial carcinoma cells. In clinical urothelial carcinoma specimens, expression of Nkx2.8 inversely correlated with Twist1 expression, and urothelial carcinoma patients with Nkx2.8 positivity and low Twist1 expression displayed the best prognosis. Our findings highlight the Nkx2.8-Twist1 axis as candidate target for therapeutic intervention in advanced urothelial carcinoma.Significance: These findings highlight a novel EMT signaling axis as a candidate target for therapeutic intervention in advanced urothelial carcinomas. Cancer Res; 78(5); 1241-52. ©2018 AACR.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Apoptosis
  • Biomarkers, Tumor / genetics
  • Biomarkers, Tumor / metabolism*
  • Cell Movement
  • Cell Proliferation
  • Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition*
  • Female
  • Follow-Up Studies
  • Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic*
  • Homeodomain Proteins / genetics
  • Homeodomain Proteins / metabolism*
  • Humans
  • Lymphatic Metastasis
  • Mice
  • Mice, Inbred BALB C
  • Mice, Nude
  • Neoplasm Invasiveness
  • Nuclear Proteins / genetics*
  • Nuclear Proteins / metabolism
  • Prognosis
  • Promoter Regions, Genetic
  • Signal Transduction
  • Survival Rate
  • Transcription Factors / genetics
  • Transcription Factors / metabolism*
  • Tumor Cells, Cultured
  • Twist-Related Protein 1 / genetics*
  • Twist-Related Protein 1 / metabolism
  • Urinary Bladder Neoplasms / genetics
  • Urinary Bladder Neoplasms / metabolism
  • Urinary Bladder Neoplasms / pathology*
  • Xenograft Model Antitumor Assays

Substances

  • Biomarkers, Tumor
  • Homeodomain Proteins
  • NKX2-8 protein, human
  • Nuclear Proteins
  • TWIST1 protein, human
  • Transcription Factors
  • Twist-Related Protein 1