Lgr5 maintains stemness and regulates cell property in nasopharyngeal carcinoma through Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway

Fangqi Li; Xiaole Song; Xuewen Li; Xiujuan Zhang; Xiaoyu Feng; Li Wang; Lun Xu; Jiqin Luo; Bijun Zhu; Wenwen Ren; Hongmeng Yu; Yiqun Yu

Stem Cell Research (Aug 2020)

Lgr5 maintains stemness and regulates cell property in nasopharyngeal carcinoma through Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway

Fangqi Li,
Xiaole Song,
Xuewen Li,
Xiujuan Zhang,
Xiaoyu Feng,
Li Wang,
Lun Xu,
Jiqin Luo,
Bijun Zhu,
Wenwen Ren,
Hongmeng Yu,
Yiqun Yu

Affiliations

Fangqi Li: School of Life Sciences, Shanghai University, Shanghai 200444 China
Xiaole Song: Department of Otolaryngology, Eye, Ear, Nose and Throat Hospital, Shanghai Key Clinical, Disciplines of Otorhinolaryngology, Fudan University, Shanghai 200031 China
Xuewen Li: School of Life Sciences, Shanghai University, Shanghai 200444 China
Xiujuan Zhang: Department of Otolaryngology, Eye, Ear, Nose and Throat Hospital, Shanghai Key Clinical, Disciplines of Otorhinolaryngology, Fudan University, Shanghai 200031 China
Xiaoyu Feng: School of Life Sciences, Shanghai University, Shanghai 200444 China
Li Wang: Department of Otolaryngology, Eye, Ear, Nose and Throat Hospital, Shanghai Key Clinical, Disciplines of Otorhinolaryngology, Fudan University, Shanghai 200031 China
Lun Xu: Department of Otolaryngology, Eye, Ear, Nose and Throat Hospital, Shanghai Key Clinical, Disciplines of Otorhinolaryngology, Fudan University, Shanghai 200031 China
Jiqin Luo: Department of Otolaryngology, Eye, Ear, Nose and Throat Hospital, Shanghai Key Clinical, Disciplines of Otorhinolaryngology, Fudan University, Shanghai 200031 China
Bijun Zhu: Department of Otolaryngology, Eye, Ear, Nose and Throat Hospital, Shanghai Key Clinical, Disciplines of Otorhinolaryngology, Fudan University, Shanghai 200031 China
Wenwen Ren: Department of Otolaryngology, Eye, Ear, Nose and Throat Hospital, Shanghai Key Clinical, Disciplines of Otorhinolaryngology, Fudan University, Shanghai 200031 China; Corresponding authors at: Department of Otolaryngology, Eye, Ear, Nose and Throat Hospital, Fudan University, 83 Fen Yang Road, Shanghai 200031, China.
Hongmeng Yu: School of Life Sciences, Shanghai University, Shanghai 200444 China; Corresponding authors at: Department of Otolaryngology, Eye, Ear, Nose and Throat Hospital, Fudan University, 83 Fen Yang Road, Shanghai 200031, China.
Yiqun Yu: School of Life Sciences, Shanghai University, Shanghai 200444 China; Department of Otolaryngology, Eye, Ear, Nose and Throat Hospital, Shanghai Key Clinical, Disciplines of Otorhinolaryngology, Fudan University, Shanghai 200031 China; Corresponding authors at: Department of Otolaryngology, Eye, Ear, Nose and Throat Hospital, Fudan University, 83 Fen Yang Road, Shanghai 200031, China.

Journal volume & issue: Vol. 47
p. 101916

Abstract

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Nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) is a common malignant tumor in Southern China and Southeast Asia. In this study, we found that Leucine rich repeat containing G protein-coupled receptor 5 (Lgr5) was highly expressed in NPC tissues and marked NPC stem cells. Lgr5high tumors showed differential transcriptional landscape compared to Lgr5not high tumors. Lgr5 expression was associated with the clinicopathologic features in NPC and was able to regulate the stemness and viability of NPC cell line CNE1 and HNE1. Meanwhile, the migration, invasion and epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) was modulated by Lgr5 via Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway. Furthermore, Lgr5 could regulate the sensitivity of NPC cells to chemotherapy drugs. Xenografted tumors from Lgr5-overexpressed CNE1 cells showed stronger tumor forming capacity and higher expression level of stem cell markers. Thus, we characterized previously unidentified role of Lgr5 in NPC cells, potential serving as a NPC stem cell biomarker and a therapeutic target against NPC.

Published in Stem Cell Research

ISSN: 1873-5061 (Print); 1876-7753 (Online)
Publisher: Elsevier
Country of publisher: Netherlands
LCC subjects: Science: Biology (General)
Website: https://www.journals.elsevier.com/stem-cell-research

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