The Role of TGF-β1 and Mutant SMAD4 on Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition Features in Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma Cell Lines
<p>The effect of TGF-β1 on CDH1 surface expression in HNSCC and HaCaT cell lines. (<b>A</b>) Shown are representative flow cytometry histograms evaluating CDH1 surface expression (FL2-A channel for PE fluorescence) in cell lines treated with or without TGF-β1. (<b>B</b>) Comparison of absolute CDH1 geometric mean fluorescence (GMF) levels before and after TGF-β1 treatment. (<b>C</b>) Same data as in (B) depicting relative CDH1-GMF levels. Data represent the mean ± SD (<span class="html-italic">n</span> = 3), with <span class="html-italic">p</span> < 0.05 considered statistically significant. Statistical differences were indicated as *: <span class="html-italic">p</span> < 0.05, ***: <span class="html-italic">p</span> < 0.001, n.s.: not significant (see also <a href="#app1-cancers-16-03172" class="html-app">Supplementary Figure S2</a>).</p> "> Figure 2
<p>Differential responsiveness of HNSCC and HaCaT cell lines to exogenous TGF-β1. Real-time cell analysis (RTCA) demonstrates major differences in TGF-β1 mediated cell growth (normalized cell index) induction in the tested cell lines (left). Data represent the mean ± SD (<span class="html-italic">n</span> = 3), with <span class="html-italic">p</span> < 0.05 considered statistically significant. Statistical differences were indicated as *: <span class="html-italic">p</span> < 0.05, **: <span class="html-italic">p</span> < 0.01, ***: <span class="html-italic">p</span> < 0.001 and ****: <span class="html-italic">p</span> < 0.0001. Shown on the right is the protein expression of CDH1 (E-cadherin), pTGFβ RII (Tyr424), β-tubulin, and β-actin. Uncropped Western blots are shown in <a href="#app1-cancers-16-03172" class="html-app">Figure S3</a>.</p> "> Figure 3
<p>Effect of TGF-β1 on cell motility. Wound closure and relative coastline length were evaluated 24 and 48 hr after TGF-β1 treatment in HaCaT (<b>A</b>), UM-SCC-3 (<b>B</b>), UM-SCC-1 (<b>C</b>), and UM-SCC-22B (<b>D</b>) cell lines. Data represent the mean ± SD (<span class="html-italic">n</span> = 3), with <span class="html-italic">p</span> < 0.05 considered statistically significant. Statistical differences were indicated as *: <span class="html-italic">p</span> < 0.05, **: <span class="html-italic">p</span> < 0.01, ****: <span class="html-italic">p</span> < 0.0001, n.s.: not significant.</p> "> Figure 4
<p>The effect of TGF-β1 on the cellular localization of CDH1 and β-actin. Confocal microscopy depicting CDH1 (<b>A</b>) and β-actin (<b>B</b>) expression (both red) in HaCaT, UM-SCC-3, UM-SCC-1, and UM-SCC-22B cell lines in the presence or absence of TGF-β1. DAPI (blue) was used for nuclear counterstaining. (No specific signal is seen in cells treated with anti-mouse IgG, see <a href="#app1-cancers-16-03172" class="html-app">Supplementary Figure S4</a>).</p> "> Figure 5
<p>Influence of <span class="html-italic">SMAD4wt</span> and <span class="html-italic">SMAD4mut</span> overexpression on EMT-related genes. <span class="html-italic">SMAD4wt</span> and <span class="html-italic">SMAD4mut</span> expressing plasmids were transfected in HaCaT (<b>A</b>) and UM-SCC-22B (<b>B</b>) cell lines. Gene expression changes were compared against control values (<b>A</b>,<b>B</b>). (<b>C</b>) Gene expression ratios of UM-SCC-22B compared with HaCaT were evaluated in control cells and after transfection with <span class="html-italic">SMAD4</span>-expressing plasmids. (<b>D</b>) Comparison of basal mRNA expression levels of <span class="html-italic">SMAD4</span>, <span class="html-italic">CDH1</span>, <span class="html-italic">TGF-β1</span>, <span class="html-italic">VIM,</span> and <span class="html-italic">ZEB1</span> between HaCaT and UM-SCC-22B cells (data correspond to the controls (ctrl) as shown in <b>A</b>–<b>C</b>). Data represent the mean ± SD (<span class="html-italic">n</span> = 3–4), with <span class="html-italic">p</span> < 0.05 considered statistically significant. Statistical differences were indicated as *: <span class="html-italic">p</span> < 0.05, **: <span class="html-italic">p</span> < 0.01, ***: <span class="html-italic">p</span> < 0.001, n.s.: not significant.</p> "> Figure 5 Cont.
<p>Influence of <span class="html-italic">SMAD4wt</span> and <span class="html-italic">SMAD4mut</span> overexpression on EMT-related genes. <span class="html-italic">SMAD4wt</span> and <span class="html-italic">SMAD4mut</span> expressing plasmids were transfected in HaCaT (<b>A</b>) and UM-SCC-22B (<b>B</b>) cell lines. Gene expression changes were compared against control values (<b>A</b>,<b>B</b>). (<b>C</b>) Gene expression ratios of UM-SCC-22B compared with HaCaT were evaluated in control cells and after transfection with <span class="html-italic">SMAD4</span>-expressing plasmids. (<b>D</b>) Comparison of basal mRNA expression levels of <span class="html-italic">SMAD4</span>, <span class="html-italic">CDH1</span>, <span class="html-italic">TGF-β1</span>, <span class="html-italic">VIM,</span> and <span class="html-italic">ZEB1</span> between HaCaT and UM-SCC-22B cells (data correspond to the controls (ctrl) as shown in <b>A</b>–<b>C</b>). Data represent the mean ± SD (<span class="html-italic">n</span> = 3–4), with <span class="html-italic">p</span> < 0.05 considered statistically significant. Statistical differences were indicated as *: <span class="html-italic">p</span> < 0.05, **: <span class="html-italic">p</span> < 0.01, ***: <span class="html-italic">p</span> < 0.001, n.s.: not significant.</p> "> Figure 6
<p>The epithelial or mesenchymal phenotype of HNSCC and HaCaT cells depends on the supply of autocrine and exogenous EMT cytokines.</p> ">
Abstract
:Simple Summary
Abstract
1. Introduction
2. Materials and Methods
2.1. Cell Lines and Cell Culture
2.2. Real-Time Cell Analysis
2.3. Wound Closure (Scratch) Assay
2.4. Immunocytochemistry and Fluorescence Microscopy
2.5. Flow Cytometry
2.6. SDS-PAGE and Western Blot Analysis
2.7. Quantitative Reverse Transcription Polymerase Chain Reaction
2.8. Cloning and Transfection of SMAD4 Constructs
2.9. Targeted Sequencing
2.10. Statistical Analysis
3. Results
4. Discussion
5. Conclusions
Supplementary Materials
Author Contributions
Funding
Institutional Review Board Statement
Informed Consent Statement
Data Availability Statement
Acknowledgments
Conflicts of Interest
References
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Bette, M.; Reinhardt, L.; Gansukh, U.; Xiang-Tischhauser, L.; Meskeh, H.; Di Fazio, P.; Buchholz, M.; Stuck, B.A.; Mandic, R. The Role of TGF-β1 and Mutant SMAD4 on Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition Features in Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma Cell Lines. Cancers 2024, 16, 3172. https://doi.org/10.3390/cancers16183172
Bette M, Reinhardt L, Gansukh U, Xiang-Tischhauser L, Meskeh H, Di Fazio P, Buchholz M, Stuck BA, Mandic R. The Role of TGF-β1 and Mutant SMAD4 on Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition Features in Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma Cell Lines. Cancers. 2024; 16(18):3172. https://doi.org/10.3390/cancers16183172
Chicago/Turabian StyleBette, Michael, Laura Reinhardt, Uyanga Gansukh, Li Xiang-Tischhauser, Haifa Meskeh, Pietro Di Fazio, Malte Buchholz, Boris A. Stuck, and Robert Mandic. 2024. "The Role of TGF-β1 and Mutant SMAD4 on Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition Features in Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma Cell Lines" Cancers 16, no. 18: 3172. https://doi.org/10.3390/cancers16183172