A self-enforcing CD44s/ZEB1 feedback loop maintains EMT and stemness properties in cancer cells

Preca BT, Bajdak K, Mock K, Sundararajan V, Pfannstiel J, Maurer J, Wellner U, Hopt UT, Brummer T, Brabletz S, Brabletz T, Stemmler MP (2015)

Publication Type: Journal article

Publication year: 2015

Journal

International Journal of Cancer Wiley-Blackwell

Book Volume: 137

Pages Range: 2566-77

Journal Issue: 11

DOI: 10.1002/ijc.29642

Abstract

Invasion and metastasis of carcinomas are often activated by induction of aberrant epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT). This is mainly driven by the transcription factor ZEB1, promoting tumor-initiating capacity correlated with increased expression of the putative stem cell marker CD44. However, the direct link between ZEB1, CD44 and tumourigenesis is still enigmatic. Remarkably, EMT-induced repression of ESRP1 controls alternative splicing of CD44, causing a shift in the expression from the variant CD44v to the standard CD44s isoform. We analyzed whether CD44 and ZEB1 regulate each other and show that ZEB1 controls CD44s splicing by repression of ESRP1 in breast and pancreatic cancer. Intriguingly, CD44s itself activates the expression of ZEB1, resulting in a self-sustaining ZEB1 and CD44s expression. Activation of this novel CD44s-ZEB1 regulatory loop has functional impact on tumor cells, as evident by increased tumor-sphere initiation capacity, drug-resistance and tumor recurrence. In summary, we identified a self-enforcing feedback loop that employs CD44s to activate ZEB1 expression. This renders tumor cell stemness independent of external stimuli, as ZEB1 downregulates ESRP1, further promoting CD44s isoform synthesis.

Authors with CRIS profile

Thomas Brabletz Lehrstuhl für Experimentelle Medizin mit dem Schwerpunkt Molekulare Pathogeneseforschung

Involved external institutions

Universitätsklinikum Freiburg DE Germany (DE) Albert-Ludwigs-Universität Freiburg DE Germany (DE) Universitätsklinikum Schleswig-Holstein (UKSH) DE Germany (DE)

How to cite

APA:

Preca, B.-T., Bajdak, K., Mock, K., Sundararajan, V., Pfannstiel, J., Maurer, J.,... Stemmler, M.P. (2015). A self-enforcing CD44s/ZEB1 feedback loop maintains EMT and stemness properties in cancer cells. International Journal of Cancer, 137(11), 2566-77. https://doi.org/10.1002/ijc.29642

MLA:

Preca, Bogdan-Tiberius, et al. "A self-enforcing CD44s/ZEB1 feedback loop maintains EMT and stemness properties in cancer cells." International Journal of Cancer 137.11 (2015): 2566-77.

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