CD34 and its relatives, Podocalyxin and Endoglycan, comprise of a family of surface sialomucins expressed by hematopoietic stem/progenitor cells, and vascular endothelia. Recent data suggest that they serve as either pro- or anti-adhesion molecules depending on their cellular context and their post-translational modifications. We were interested in identifying Podocalyxin ligands and their cellular distribution and understanding the role of these factors in signaling, adhesion and migration. Using both a lambda phage screen assay and mass spectrometry, we identified the Na⁺/H⁺ exchanger regulatory factor-i (NHERF-l) as a selective ligand for Podocalyxin and Endoglycan but not for the closely related CD34. Furthermore, we showed that NHERF-1 is expressed by all, lineage⁻, Sca-1⁺ and c-kit⁺ (LSK) cells, which are known to express Podocalyxin and have long-term repopulating characteristics of hematopoietic stem cells. In addition, upon IL-3 stimulation of a factor dependent cell line (FDC-P 1) these proteins re-localize and co-localize in an asymmetrical pattern. By using a lentiviral based shRNA system to silence Podocalyxin and NHERF- i proteins, we observed that migration across stromal monolayer towards a CXCL12 and SCF gradient is significantly impeded in cells that lack Podocalyxin but not NHERF-1. Following in vitro stimulation with a combination of CXCL12 and SCF we observed that Podocalyxin co-associates with CXCR4. Furthermore, cells lacking Podocalyxin have decreased phospho-AKT, a key signaling molecule downstream of c-kit and CXCR4 receptors. Taken together, our data supports the conclusion that Podocalyxin co-association with CXCR4 modulates downstream signaling to efficiently regulate HSC homing.

CD34 and its relatives, Podocalyxin and Endoglycan, comprise of a family of surface sialomucins expressed by hematopoietic stem/progenitor cells, and vascular endothelia. Recent data suggest that they serve as either pro- or anti-adhesion molecules depending on their cellular context and their post-translational modifications. We were interested in identifying Podocalyxin ligands and their cellular distribution and understanding the role of these factors in signaling, adhesion and migration. Using both a lambda phage screen assay and mass spectrometry, we identified the Na⁺/H⁺ exchanger regulatory factor-i (NHERF-l) as a selective ligand for Podocalyxin and Endoglycan but not for the closely related CD34. Furthermore, we showed that NHERF-1 is expressed by all, lineage⁻, Sca-1⁺ and c-kit⁺ (LSK) cells, which are known to express Podocalyxin and have long-term repopulating characteristics of hematopoietic stem cells. In addition, upon IL-3 stimulation of a factor dependent cell line (FDC-P 1) these proteins re-localize and co-localize in an asymmetrical pattern. By using a lentiviral based shRNA system to silence Podocalyxin and NHERF- i proteins, we observed that migration across stromal monolayer towards a CXCL12 and SCF gradient is significantly impeded in cells that lack Podocalyxin but not NHERF-1. Following in vitro stimulation with a combination of CXCL12 and SCF we observed that Podocalyxin co-associates with CXCR4. Furthermore, cells lacking Podocalyxin have decreased phospho-AKT, a key signaling molecule downstream of c-kit and CXCR4 receptors. Taken together, our data supports the conclusion that Podocalyxin co-association with CXCR4 modulates downstream signaling to efficiently regulate HSC homing.

CD34 and its relatives, Podocalyxin and Endoglycan, comprise of a family of surface sialomucins expressed by hematopoietic stem/progenitor cells, and vascular endothelia. Recent data suggest that they serve as either pro- or anti-adhesion molecules depending on their cellular context and their post-translational modifications. We were interested in identifying Podocalyxin ligands and their cellular distribution and understanding the role of these factors in signaling, adhesion and migration. Using both a lambda phage screen assay and mass spectrometry, we identified the Na⁺/H⁺ exchanger regulatory factor-i (NHERF-l) as a selective ligand for Podocalyxin and Endoglycan but not for the closely related CD34. Furthermore, we showed that NHERF-1 is expressed by all, lineage⁻, Sca-1⁺ and c-kit⁺ (LSK) cells, which are known to express Podocalyxin and have long-term repopulating characteristics of hematopoietic stem cells. In addition, upon IL-3 stimulation of a factor dependent cell line (FDC-P 1) these proteins re-localize and co-localize in an asymmetrical pattern. By using a lentiviral based shRNA system to silence Podocalyxin and NHERF- i proteins, we observed that migration across stromal monolayer towards a CXCL12 and SCF gradient is significantly impeded in cells that lack Podocalyxin but not NHERF-1. Following in vitro stimulation with a combination of CXCL12 and SCF we observed that Podocalyxin co-associates with CXCR4. Furthermore, cells lacking Podocalyxin have decreased phospho-AKT, a key signaling molecule downstream of c-kit and CXCR4 receptors. Taken together, our data supports the conclusion that Podocalyxin co-association with CXCR4 modulates downstream signaling to efficiently regulate HSC homing. / Medicine, Faculty of / Medicine, Department of / Experimental Medicine, Division of / Graduate

Le stress oxydatif peut conduire à la sénescence, à l'apoptose et à la mutagenèse. Les cellules cancéreuses peuvent développer un avantage prolifératif sur les cellules normales dans un environnement de stress oxydatif, qui de ce fait, participe à la progression tumorale. Nous émettons l'hypothèse que MK2, une cible directe de la p38 MAPK, pourrait conférer aux cellules de cancer du foie une résistance au stress oxydatif. Dans quatre lignées cellulaires tumorales hépatobiliaires, l'inhibition pharmacologique de MK2, MK2i, augmente la mort cellulaire induite par le stress oxydatif par une diminution de l'activité de Hsp27 et une augmentation du niveau du suppresseur de tumeur p53. MK2 favorise la survie cellulaire via l'activation de la réponse anti-oxydante Nrf2 et de la voie d'HB-EGF/EGFR. MK2 est également responsable de la production d'Il-8 induite par le stress oxydatif. Cette augmentation semble dépendre de Hsp27. De plus, nous avons identifié la protéine d'échafaudage EBP50 comme une nouvelle protéine de liaison de MK2. Dans les cellules cancéreuses hépatobiliaires, EBP50 contribue à la régulation de la voie MK2/Hsp27. La déplétion d'EBP50 provoque une diminution de la phosphorylation de Hsp27, de la survie cellulaire ainsi qu'une baisse des taux d'ARNm de HB-EGF et d'IL-8. Dans les échantillons de tissus humains, l'expression de MK2, de Hsp27 et d'EBP50 est augmentée dans le carcinome hépatocellulaire par rapport au tissu hépatique non tumoral. En résumé, ces données fournissent la preuve d'un rôle prépondérant de l'axe MK2/EBP50/Hsp27 dans la progression du cancer du foie en conférant aux cellules tumorales hépatobiliaires une résistance au stress oxydatif. / Oxidative stress leads to senescence, apoptosis and mutagenesis. Cancer cells can develop a proliferative advantage over normal cells in an environment of oxidative stress, which thereby, participates in tumor progression. We hypothesized that MK2, a direct target of p38 MAPK, could mediate the resistance of liver cancer cells to oxidative stress. In four hepatocellular and biliary cancer cell lines, pharmacological inhibition of MK2 by MK2i enhanced oxidative stress-induced cell death through a decrease in Akt and Hsp27 activity and an increase in tumor suppressor p53 level. MK2 promoted cell survival via activation of the anti-oxidant Nrf2 response and the EGFR pathway. The expression of the EGFR agonist, Hb-EGF, increased in response to oxidative stress. In turn, Hb-EGF induced Hsp27 phosphorylation that was down-regulated by MK2i in liver cancer cells, indicating that EGFR activation by Hb-EGF is a potent activator of MK2. MK2 also increased oxidative stress-induced IL-8 production that depends on Hsp27. Furthermore, we found that MK2 was a binding partner of the scaffolding protein EBP50. In liver cancer cells, EBP50 contributed to up-regulate the MK2/Akt/Hsp27 pathway. Silencing of EBP50 by siRNA in these cells caused a decrease in the phosphorylation of Akt/Hsp27 and in the mRNA levels of Hb-EGF and IL-8. In human tissue samples, MK2, Hsp27 and EBP50 expressions were found to be increased in hepatocellular carcinoma compared with the matched non-tumor liver tissue. Overall, these data provide evidence for a preponderant role of MK2/EBP50/Akt/Hsp27 axis in liver cancer progression by mediating oxidative stress resistance in liver tumor cells.