Knockdown of the stem cell marker Musashi-1 inhibits endometrial cancer growth and sensitizes cells to radiation

Background: Endometrial carcinoma is the most common gynecological cancer in Europe. Musashi-1 is known to be a key regulator of endometrial cancer stem cells and a negative prognostic marker. In the present study, we aimed to understand growth and gene expression patterns in endometrial carcinoma a...

Verfasser: Falke, Isabel
Troschel, Fabian Martin
Palenta, Heike
Löblein, Maria T.
Brüggemann, Kathrin
Borrmann, Katrin
Eich, Hans-Theodor
Götte, Martin
Greve, Burkhard
Dokumenttypen:Artikel
Medientypen:Text
Erscheinungsdatum:2022
Publikation in MIAMI:11.09.2023
Datum der letzten Änderung:11.09.2023
Angaben zur Ausgabe:[Electronic ed.]
Quelle:Stem Cell Research and Therapy 13 (2022), 212, 1-16
Schlagwörter:Musashi-1; Cancer stem cell; Endometrial cancer; Proliferation; Radioresistance
Fachgebiet (DDC):610: Medizin und Gesundheit
Lizenz:CC BY 4.0
Sprache:English
Förderung:Finanziert über die DEAL-Vereinbarung mit Wiley 2019-2022.
Format:PDF-Dokument
URN:urn:nbn:de:hbz:6-69918725572
Weitere Identifikatoren:DOI: 10.17879/09928625645
Permalink:https://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:hbz:6-69918725572
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  • Onlinezugriff:10.1186_s13287-022-02891-3.pdf

    Background: Endometrial carcinoma is the most common gynecological cancer in Europe. Musashi-1 is known to be a key regulator of endometrial cancer stem cells and a negative prognostic marker. In the present study, we aimed to understand growth and gene expression patterns in endometrial carcinoma after Musashi-1 knockdown in vitro and in vivo. Changes in therapeutic resistance were also assessed. Methods: First, we performed analyses to understand Musashi-1 expression patterns using The Cancer Genome Atlas database. We then proceeded to assess effects of small interfering RNA-based Musashi-1 targeting in two endometrial carcinoma cell lines, Ishikawa and KLE. After quantifying baseline changes in cell metabolism, we used MTT tests to assess chemotherapy effects and colony formation assays to understand changes in radioresistance. For mechanistic study, we used quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) and western blotting of key Musashi-1 target genes and compared results to primary tissue database studies. Finally, xenograft experiments in a mouse model helped understand in vivo effects of Musashi-1 knockdown. Results: Musashi-1 is aberrantly expressed in primary tumor tissues. In vitro, silencing of Musashi-1 resulted in a strong decline in cell proliferation and radioresistance, while chemoresistance remained unchanged. Loss of Musashi-1 led to downregulation of telomerase, DNA-dependent protein kinase, the Notch pathway and overexpression of cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitor p21, the latter of which we identified as a key mediator of Msi-1 knockdown-related anti-proliferative signaling. In vivo, the anti-proliferative effect was confirmed, with Msi-1 knockdown tumors being about 40% reduced in size. Conclusions: Musashi-1 knockdown resulted in a strong decrease in endometrial cancer proliferation and a loss of radioresistance, suggesting therapeutic potential.