MTA3 Represses Cancer Stemness by Targeting the SOX2OT/SOX2 Axis

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Liang Du1, Lu Wang2, Jinfeng Gan3

  • 1Department of General Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Jinan University, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510632, China; Institute of Precision Cancer Medicine and Pathology, Department of Pathology, Jinan University Medical College, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510632, China; Cancer Research Center, Shantou University Medical College, Shantou, Guangdong 515041, China; Department of Biomedical Sciences of Cells & Systems, Section Molecular Cell Biology and Radiation Oncology, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, Groningen 9700 AD, the Netherlands.

Iscience
|December 7, 2019
PubMed

Insights

MTA3 suppresses cancer cell stemness and metastasis in esophageal cancer. The MTA3/SOX2OT/SOX2 pathway is crucial for cancer progression and may offer new therapeutic targets.

Area of Science:

  • Oncology
  • Molecular Biology
  • Cancer Research

Background:

  • Cancer cell stemness (CCS) is vital for tumor growth and spread.
  • SOX2 is known to be important in cancer, but MTA3's role is unclear.
  • Esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) serves as a model to investigate these mechanisms.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the role of MTA3 in cancer cell stemness and metastasis.
  • To elucidate the molecular mechanisms by which MTA3 affects these processes.
  • To evaluate the prognostic significance of MTA3 and SOX2 in ESCC.

Main Methods:

  • In vitro and in vivo experiments using ESCC models.
  • Analysis of the MTA3/GATA3 complex formation.
  • Assessment of SOX2OT and SOX2 expression levels.
  • Correlation analysis between MTA3/SOX2 expression and patient prognosis.

Main Results:

  • MTA3 was found to repress both CCS and metastasis in ESCC.
  • MTA3 forms a complex with GATA3, downregulating SOX2OT and suppressing the SOX2OT/SOX2 axis.
  • Low MTA3 and high SOX2 expression (MTA3low/SOX2high) correlated with poor prognosis and served as an independent prognostic factor.

Conclusions:

  • The MTA3/SOX2OT/SOX2 axis is essential for maintaining CCS.
  • This axis represents a potential target for cancer therapy and stratification.
Keywords:
Biological SciencesCancerCell BiologyMolecular BiologyStem Cells Research

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