Intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (iCCA) is a rare malignancy of the intrahepatic biliary tract with a very poor prognosis. Although some clinicopathological parameters can be prognostic factors for iCCA, the molecular prognostic markers and potential mechanisms of iCCA have not been well investigated. Here, we report that the Fragile X mental retardation protein (FMRP), a RNA binding protein functionally absent in patients with the Fragile X syndrome (FXS) and also involved in several types of cancers, is overexpressed in human iCCA and its expression is significantly increased in iCCA metastatic tissues. The silencing of FMRP in metastatic iCCA cell lines affects cell migration and invasion, suggesting a role of FMRP in iCCA progression. Moreover, we show evidence that FMRP is localized at the invasive front of human iCCA neoplastic nests and in pseudopodia and invadopodia protrusions of migrating and invading iCCA cancer cells. Here FMRP binds several mRNAs encoding key proteins involved in the formation and/or function of these protrusions. In particular, we find that FMRP binds to and regulates the expression of Cortactin, a critical regulator of invadopodia formation. Altogether, our findings suggest that FMRP could promote cell invasiveness modulating membrane plasticity and invadopodia formation at the leading edges of invading iCCA cells.

Fragile X mental retardation protein in intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma: regulating the cancer cell behavior plasticity at the leading edge

Carotti S.;Zingariello M.;Falchi M.;Pantano F.;Perrone G.;Rana R. A.;Morini S.
;
Zalfa F.
2021-01-01

Abstract

Intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (iCCA) is a rare malignancy of the intrahepatic biliary tract with a very poor prognosis. Although some clinicopathological parameters can be prognostic factors for iCCA, the molecular prognostic markers and potential mechanisms of iCCA have not been well investigated. Here, we report that the Fragile X mental retardation protein (FMRP), a RNA binding protein functionally absent in patients with the Fragile X syndrome (FXS) and also involved in several types of cancers, is overexpressed in human iCCA and its expression is significantly increased in iCCA metastatic tissues. The silencing of FMRP in metastatic iCCA cell lines affects cell migration and invasion, suggesting a role of FMRP in iCCA progression. Moreover, we show evidence that FMRP is localized at the invasive front of human iCCA neoplastic nests and in pseudopodia and invadopodia protrusions of migrating and invading iCCA cancer cells. Here FMRP binds several mRNAs encoding key proteins involved in the formation and/or function of these protrusions. In particular, we find that FMRP binds to and regulates the expression of Cortactin, a critical regulator of invadopodia formation. Altogether, our findings suggest that FMRP could promote cell invasiveness modulating membrane plasticity and invadopodia formation at the leading edges of invading iCCA cells.
2021
animal cell; Article; bile duct carcinoma; cancer cell; cancer growth; cancer tissue; carcinogenesis; cell culture; cell function; cell invasion; cell migration; cell plasticity; clinical article; cohort analysis; controlled study; fragile X syndrome; gene overexpression; HuCC-T1 cell line; HuH-28 cell line; human; human cell; human tissue; immunofluorescence; immunohistochemistry; immunoprecipitation; male; metastasis; mouse; nonhuman; phenotype; podosome; protein expression; protein function; protein localization; protein protein interaction; pseudopodium; real time polymerase chain reaction; RNA metabolism; time lapse imaging; transmission electron microscopy; transwell assay; tumor xenograft; Western blotting; wound healing assay
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Utilizza questo identificativo per citare o creare un link a questo documento: https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.12610/62281
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