Title | Function and clinical relevance of RHAMM isoforms in pancreatic tumor progression. |
Publication Type | Journal Article |
Year of Publication | 2019 |
Authors | Choi S, Wang D, Chen X, Tang LH, Verma A, Chen Z, Kim BJung, Selesner L, Robzyk K, Zhang G, Pang S, Han T, Chan CS, Fahey TJ, Elemento O, Du Y-CNancy |
Journal | Mol Cancer |
Volume | 18 |
Issue | 1 |
Pagination | 92 |
Date Published | 2019 05 09 |
ISSN | 1476-4598 |
Keywords | Alternative Splicing, Animals, Biomarkers, Tumor, Carcinoma, Pancreatic Ductal, Cell Line, Tumor, Disease Progression, ErbB Receptors, Extracellular Matrix Proteins, Female, Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic, Humans, Hyaluronan Receptors, Liver Neoplasms, Male, Mice, Neoplasm Transplantation, Neuroendocrine Tumors, Pancreatic Neoplasms, Prognosis, Signal Transduction, Survival Analysis, Up-Regulation |
Abstract | The receptor for hyaluronic acid-mediated motility (RHAMM) is upregulated in various cancers. We previously screened genes upregulated in human hepatocellular carcinomas for their metastatic function in a mouse model of pancreatic neuroendocrine tumor (PNET) and identified that human RHAMM promoted liver metastasis. It was unknown whether RHAMM is upregulated in pancreatic cancer or contributes to its progression. In this study, we found that RHAMM protein was frequently upregulated in human PNETs. We investigated alternative splicing isoforms, RHAMM and RHAMM, by RNA-Seq analysis of primary PNETs and liver metastases. RHAMM, but not RHAMM, was significantly upregulated in liver metastases. RHAMM was crucial for in vivo metastatic capacity of mouse and human PNETs. RHAMM, carrying an extra 15-amino acid-stretch, did not promote metastasis in spontaneous and experimental metastasis mouse models. Moreover, RHAMM was substantially higher than RHAMM in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC). RHAMM, but not RHAMM, correlated with both higher EGFR expression and poorer survival of PDAC patients. Knockdown of EGFR abolished RHAMM-driven PNET metastasis. Altogether, our findings suggest a clinically relevant function of RHAMM, but not RHAMM, in promoting PNET metastasis in part through EGFR signaling. RHAMM can thus serve as a prognostic factor for pancreatic cancer. |
DOI | 10.1186/s12943-019-1018-y |
Alternate Journal | Mol. Cancer |
PubMed ID | 31072393 |
PubMed Central ID | PMC6506944 |
Grant List | R21 CA173348 / CA / NCI NIH HHS / United States U01 DK072473 / DK / NIDDK NIH HHS / United States R01 CA204916 / CA / NCI NIH HHS / United States UL1 TR002384 / TR / NCATS NIH HHS / United States UL1 TR000457 / TR / NCATS NIH HHS / United States |