We have previously identified an unsuspected role for GJB3 showing that the deficiency of this connexin protein induces aneuploidy in human and murine cells and accelerates cell transformation as well as tumor formation in xenograft models. The molecular mechanisms by which loss of GJB3 leads to aneuploidy and cancer initiation and progression remain unsolved.
GJB3 expression levels were determined by RT-qPCR and Western blot. The consequences of GJB3 knockdown on genome instability were assessed by metaphase chromosome counting, multinucleation of cells, by micronuclei formation and by the determination of spindle orientation. Interactions of GJB3 with α-tubulin and F-actin was analyzed by immunoprecipitation and immunocytochemistry. Consequences of GJB3 deficiency on microtubule and actin dynamics were measured by live cell imaging and fluorescence recovery after photobleaching experiments, respectively. Immunohistochemistry was used to determine GJB3 levels on human and murine bladder cancer tissue sections. Bladder cancer in mice was chemically induced by BBN-treatment.
We find that GJB3 is highly expressed in the ureter and bladder epithelium, but it is downregulated in invasive bladder cancer cell lines and during tumor progression in both human and mouse bladder cancer. Downregulation of GJB3 expression leads to aneuploidy and genomic instability in karyotypically stable urothelial cells and experimental modulation of GJB3 levels alters the migration and invasive capacity of bladder cancer cell lines. Importantly, GJB3 interacts both with α-tubulin and F-actin. The impairment of these interactions alters the dynamics of these cytoskeletal components and leads to defective spindle orientation.
We conclude that deregulated microtubule and actin dynamics have an impact on proper chromosome separation and tumor cell invasion and migration. Consequently, these observations indicate a possible role for GJB3 in the onset and spreading of bladder cancer and demonstrate a molecular link between enhanced aneuploidy and invasive capacity cancer cells during tumor cell dissemination.
Cellular & molecular biology letters. 2024 Jul 02*** epublish ***
Junnan Liu, Xue Wang, Wencheng Jiang, Anca Azoitei, Tim Eiseler, Markus Eckstein, Arndt Hartmann, Stephan Stilgenbauer, Mohamed Elati, Meike Hohwieler, Alexander Kleger, Axel John, Felix Wezel, Friedemann Zengerling, Christian Bolenz, Cagatay Günes
Department of Urology, Ulm University Hospital, Helmholtzstr. 10, 89081, Ulm, Germany., Department of Internal Medicine I, Ulm University Hospital, Ulm, Germany., Institute of Pathology, Friedrich-Alexander University, Erlangen, Germany., Department of Internal Medicine III, Ulm University, Ulm, Germany., CANTHER, ONCOLille Institute, University of Lille, CNRS, UMR 1277, Inserm U9020, 59045, Lille Cedex, France., Institute of Molecular Oncology and Stem Cell Biology, Ulm University Hospital, Ulm, Germany., Department of Urology, Ulm University Hospital, Helmholtzstr. 10, 89081, Ulm, Germany. .